Rewriting With The Stars
by Yamomo
Summary: Future Rouge's plan succeeded. Present day Fiore is over ran by his army of prehistorical dragons, and humanity is on its final leg. With the final hour upon what remains of the light guilds, Mavis Vermillion makes a last ditch effort to save the world by sending Lucy Heartfilia and Sting Eucliffe into the past to right these wrongs. But, how will their actions influence the world?
1. The Final Hour!

**July 7th x791**

**Crocus, Fiore**

**11:50 PM**

The world, as we know it, was entering its final hour. Humanity was on the brink of destruction, and the age of the Dragons was upon us once again. The strongest guilds Fiore has to offer were reduced to a handful of causalities before the day was finished. Former comrades laid dead on this bloody battleground. Morals were reaching an all-time low. They were supposed to win, right? They were the ones who were supposed to fight for what's right. They were the good guys...right? So how did things go so wrong so fast?

Lucy couldn't keep the tears from flowing. She refused to stop them. The pain was unbearable. The despair was consuming her mind. In the span of what felt like moments, she had lost so much, friends and a family that had grown on her. One after another, a Fairy Tail member would sacrifice their life so the rest could escape, and one after another, they would fall against the swarm of dragons. The people she had grown to care about were snatched away by the hands of death and right after the incident on the island. Lucy guessed death had finally caught up to them.

Future Rouge had succeeded in his plan. Ten thousand dragons swept through Fiore, and he was on his way to defeat Zeref, destroying everything in his path. The land was scorn with fire. The sky burned. The air polluted with smoke and ash.

"Please stand Lucy," Mavis knelt down. This outcome was far what she calculated. Lucy's abduction should've been prioritized more. Maybe then, the world wouldn't be ending... Yet, Master Mavis still had hope. "Our work is not done."

"When does it end?" Lucy's body ached from the heart ache, leaving one after another beloved friend behind, and evading the attacks from the dragons flying above. "Master Mavis, we've lost. What is there still do? What's left to save?"

"Who the hell is Mavis? I thought your guild master was Makarov?" Sting raised an eyebrow. After everything that went down today, Sting Eucliffe couldn't believe he was put on babysitting duty. Natsu's dying request was for Sting to protect Lucy, and the dragonslayer wasn't about to let that promise fall through. The White Dragonslayer was trying to turn a new leaf, and this was probably his last chance to prove there was some good in his heart. Plus, the big guy upstairs might send Sting to hell if he ditches the girl in her time of need. Lucy gave him a silent plea for a moment of privacy, and the blond fell quiet again.

"Save humanity and those who have given their lives today. Place your faith in me one last time Lucy Heartfilia, and I will pave the way to a brighter future for you." Mavis she's harden with her firm resolve in mind.

"How is that possible? Natsu and the others are dead. I'm the last Fairy Tail member alive. Even Rouge of Sabertooth was captured by the dragons. We're just waiting for death to come for us. I'm not strong enough to do anything."

"By traveling to a point where they were still alive, we can undo this unfortunate present with the help of some light," Mavis said with determination in her voice. "The Eclipse Gate will be their downfall. If I guide you to the gate and take you to the past, we will have another chance to right these wrongs."

"Bu-But I can't change the future on my own," Lucy shuddered at the memory of her future self passing away. Alone, Lucy would only meet the same ending. "I'm not strong. I'm not strong like Erza or Natsu. I can't do this alone!"

"I understand that Wendy informed me of what happened when the dragons first appeared," Mavis answered with a thin smirk. "Which is why Sting Eucliffe is coming with you."

"Sting?" Lucy's eyes widened as her sight fell onto the last remaining Sabertooth Tiger.

The White Dragonslayer shot her an exhausted look. "Huh? Are you done talking to yourself?"

"Master Mavis, you can't be serious!" Lucy pleaded, but the ghost shook her head as she floated over to Sting.

"The light of a dragon and the guiding star will be the saviors of this world from this pit of despair." Mavis Vermillion hovered her hand over Sting and said with a determined tone. A bright light enveloped the room for a brief moment. Once the light died down, Sting was pale as if he had seen a ghost.

"Who the hell is that?! Where did she come from?" Sting jumped nearly a foot away from he previously stood.

"Sting...? What are you going on about?" There was no way...Master Mavis wouldn't expose herself to someone outside the guild.

"You're joking, right? You don't see the floating blonde little girl?!" Sting clutched the side of his head. "Have I finally cracked? I'm actually hallucinating. I've finally lost my sanity, and it took the end of the goddamn world!"

"Wait, how is that possible? I thought only members of Fairy Tail could see Master Mavis?!" Lucy screamed in horror. Yes, the world might be on the brink of destruction, but there was nothing forcing her to expose herself to an outside member!

"_That's Mavis?! This little girl!" _The light dragonslayer screamed. The First Guild Master nodded her head before extending her arm out to Sting. Somewhat skeptical, he grasped Mavis's hand. Another white light shined through the gap between their hands revealing the Fairy Tail emblem with 'MV' stamped in the center painted white in the palm of Sting's hand. "The hell? Did you really make me a member of Fairy Tail?!"

"It is important for the mission that I about envoke upon you two." Mavis placed herself in between the two of us. "Our world is on the verge of utter despair and destruction. However, the two of you may very well hold the key to reversing the damage Future Rouge has done."

"Yeah, and how? I'm the last dragonslayer alive, and I doubt he'll just stop because three blondes politely ask him." Sting rolled his eyes.

"Which is why I will be sending the two of you back to the beginning of the Grand Magic Games. There, the two of you will locate me so that I can formulate a plan to prevent the Eclipse gate from ever opening. I will admit that defeating Future Rouge, even fifth days ago will be difficult, but we do not have another choice." Mavis said warily.

"Logically speaking, I agree that a time skip backward of only five days is ideal. I wouldn't want to make any dramatic changes, but how will we get through thousands of dragons? Future Rogue won't make this easy for us." Lucy folded her arms across her chest. Ideally, five days won't affect the outcome too much, but it will bring about an opportunity to change the future.

"We'll be shot down before either of us can even touch the gate." Sting huffed. Master Mavis sighed, knowing this will be turn out to be one of the more difficult choices she will be forced to make. Watching the guild she had created be utterly wiped out through the course of only four hours, Mavis knew she had to place her faith and all of her being in these two capable wizards in order to rebuild the family she loved.

"I will guide you to the gate myself. I may not have my physical body, but I use my remaining magic to protect our last hope and repel the dragons. Will this mission deplete the remainder of my magic? The probability is high, but Fairy Tail must live on. Earthland cannot end here. Fairy Tail cannot end here, not on this note."

"Master Mavis..." Lucy said in a hushed voice before becoming overwhelmed with fierce determination. "We won't let you down."

The world as we know it was entering its final hour.

Lucy Heartfillia was racing against the clock to her future. Unbeknownst to her, Lucy's future was intertwined with the fate and outcome of this world. This day has been a long one for her and Fairy Tail. In the spans of what felt like mere seconds, their family reclaimed their title as the strongest guild and witness the death of a dear friend in an attempt to save herself. Future Lucy had withstood Future Rogue's fatal attack to protect her present self. In Future Lucy's final moment, she was granted one final wish, to see her pink Fairy Tail emblem on her hand one final time. Through the tears and heartache, the present day Lucy forced herself to push forward. For the sake of preserving what could be saved, Lucy ran to her destination, the Eclipse gate.

On the left of Lucy, there was one mage who was secretly fuming at this situation. He wasn't upset that countless dragons swarmed the area and were destroying everything in sight. Was he expecting this outcome? Certainly not, but that was beside the point. No one could have possibly woken up today and predicted prehistoric dragons would erupt out of the damn gate. No, this dragonslayer was hiding his boiling rage inside because of one detail most would overlook.

It was faint but Future Rouge had Sting's scent. Which is virtually unheard of to any dragonslayer. Except for those who killed their parent dragon. For Sting and Rogue, their scents were individualized in their own way since their scent came from their guardian dragon and the lacrima they consumed. Naturally, that would mean Sting has two factors that influence how he smells, but Future Rogue had four factors. Sting would have let it slide if Future Rogue only had three. Light lacrimas are easy to come by. Sting will admit it. Chuck a rock, and you'll probably hit a lacrima. But he'll be damned if someone copied Weisslogia's scent.

The smell itself is impossible to copy seeing how Sting and Rouge are the only ones who know it. But as far as Sting knew, the present-day Rogue had no interest in copying the scents, so why did Future Rogue have Sting's scent?

And, Sting will be damned if he ain't getting an answer!

But the answer was obvious. The facts were placed in front of Sting, yet he refused to see them for what they are. For a reason hidden his Future Rouge's past and everyone else's future, he murdered Sting Eucliffe in cold blood and obtained Light Dragonslayer magic. Now, the blonde dragonslayer was racing towards the Eclipse Gate.

Underneath the veil of Master Mavis's magic, the three of them managed to reach the gate. They averted their eyes from what carnage remain and set their sights on the past. Wielding the twelve golden zodiac keys, Lucy tossed them into the air and began reciting the ancient spell._ "O spirits of the Twelve Golden Gates grant me the power to lead us the past and righteous future! Open! Twelve Gates!"_

The grandiose twelve zodiac spirits appeared at the feet of their master and friend. Listening to her final plea, they forced the door open with the power bestowed upon them by the Celestial King. The crack in the opening gate allowed a shining glow to seep through and alerting the nearby dragon to the wizard's movements. The dual colored ponytailed man commanded his dragon to rush to the gate for an investigation.

"Can you speed this us a little? Future Rogue is coming back!" Sting's fist glowed a white light as he stood in front of Lucy. "I'll hold him back for long as I can!"

"No! This is my battle, and my battle alone!" Mavis developed a force field around the two wizards. The immortalized girl shined one last smile to Lucy. "Please reverse this horrible future and save everyone. I will leave that in your capable hands."

"We won't let you down, Master Mavis," Lucy promised as the duo jumped into the Eclipse Gate.

* * *

**A/N: Welp, here we are again! Another Fairy Tail fanfiction with another unpopular ship! This time its Lucy and Sting as our main characters! I don't know. I'm more in favor of the duos who we rarely see interact. Yeah, Natsu and Lucy make great partners and have great chemistry, but why not replace the lovable Natsu with the newly refined Sting Eucliffe and see how much trouble Lucy and Sting can get into? I do know that they won't be a couple because I honestly ship Lucy with no one. If anything, I will be making fun of 'falling in love' tropes in fanfictions.**

**Give that this story is dealing with time travel, I'll try to keep this a simple as possible. **


	2. An Unforeseen Problem!

**J****uly 7th, x777**

**Crocus, Fiore**

**11:50 PM**

The Eclipse Gate was finally opened on this starry night. Across Fiore, citizen witness five shooting stars soar through the sky as a single woman exited through the gate. Anna Heartfilia has been waiting for this moment for the past 400 years, and their plan was finally in motion. This was the age where magic was at culminating exponentially.

Anna Heartfila asked the most pressing question at the moment. "Can you tell me what year is it?"

"It's x777," Layla said as she tried to catch her breath. She had successfully opened the gate that was passed down the Heartfilia line for a generation. However, the price of opening the gate without Aquarius was greater than she expected. Her magic container was emptying out faster than her body could handle.

"Oh good," Anna let out a sigh of relief as she reaches out to pat Natsu's head. Panic consumed her face once she realized that she was patting the air to her left. To her horror, the five dragonslayers were not by her side. "Where are the kids? There were five kids with me when I left?! Where are they?"

"We didn't see any kids, but five lights shot through when the door opened." The current ruling king answered with a grim expression. He motioned to the ceiling above them where there were five new smoking holes. "Look, they went through the roof."

"..." Anna could only look up in horror as she came to realize that the five dragonslayers, destined to defeat the worst dragon to ever exist, were scattered.

"Ugh, I glad we only gotta do this shit one more time." Another voice appeared from the gate. Two silhouettes stepped into the night and from the light. "Alright, time for Sabertooth to beat Fairy Tail's butt."

"Is that really what you're planning?" The second voice said with a sigh. "We have a mission to complete."

"Come on, after Sabertooth wins the Grand Magic Games, we'll beat that bastard's ass." The blond man shrugged with an air of arrogance.

His female companion could only sigh as a response. Did he not understand the basis of time travel? If anything, Sting couldn't allow Sabertooth to win. That would cause the future to change, and there was no way of knowing how that will affect events. "Let's just find Master Mavis."

"There's more people..." Anna gasped as she took a step away from the time-traveling duo. "Who are you? Zeref never mentioned anyone else passing through the gate."

"Wait, You're working with Zeref?!" The king shouted in horror.

"Of course, Zeref was the one came up with the plan to use time travel in order to defeat Acnologia." The prehistoric woman explained. "Why is that what's surprising?!"

As the time-traveling bickered amongst themselves, Anna and the king were buried in their own. It was around this moment Layla locked her eyes on the new female time traveler. There was an uncanny resemblance between this unknown girl and Anna. But that was impossible since Anna was Layla's ancestor, and this girl didn't look exactly like any of her other ancestors. Layla couldn't put her finger on it, but this mystery girl was familiar. "Excuse me. I believe some introductions are in order. That may clear up some confusion. I'm Layla Heartfilia. It is nice to meet the both of you."

"Mom..." Lucy's eyes swelled to the brim with tears once she recognized the voice. Lucy was mere feet from the mother she lost at such a young age. Throwing caution to the wind, the lone Fairy Tail member threw herself at Layla and wrapped her arms around the woman's waist. "Mom, I never thought I would get to see you again!"

"Mom?! That's your mother?!" Sting shouted as he ran up to the family reunion. His voice forced the king and Anna to direct their attention to the weeping duo.

"I-I'm sorry. I don't have- Wait, Lucy!?" Layla shouted as the pieces fell into place. "What are you doing opening the Eclipse Gate?"

"Are we even allowed to answer that question?" Sting folded her arms across this chest. "Wouldn't that mess with the future?"

"So you think a question will make an impact the future not which guild wins the GMG?!" Lucy snapped. "What are your priorities, Sting?"

Anna stepped forward once she realized that this might be the teenage version of her Sting. "I'm sorry, but did you say Sting as in Sting Eucliffe?"

"The one and only," He smirked as Anna pulled him into a potential bone-crushing hug. "Hey! Hey! Hey! Who are you?"

"You... don't remember me? I'm Anna Heartfilia. I guided the five dragonslayers through the Eclipse Gate, and Layla was the one opened it in this age." She explained as she hoped this would clear up the confusion, but Sting was still lost, maybe even more. Okay, new approach. "Sting, what do you remember before you entered the gate?"

"You mean the thousand of dragons roaming around or watching seeing a ghost sacrifice herself for us?" He raised an eyebrow which confused Anna. Where did Sting pull a ghost from? The dragon part sounds about right, but Anna was packing Natsu's scarf. That was the last thing to occur before they entered the gate together.

"What? Okay, just answer me this." Anna took a deep breath. The answer the eldest woman feared she would receive is one. "How many times have you time traveled in your lifetime alone?"

"Um, once."

Anna fell back once she realized that Sting had amnesia. She looked up at the holes in the ceiling and deducted that the other dragonslayers might have amnesia as well. "This is bad. I have to fix this."

"Mom...what's going on?" Lucy eyed Layla warily. Why would her mother be around the Eclipse Gate? Why was her mother alive in the year x791? Layla Heartfilia died in x777. That part Lucy was absolutely certain. Quickly pulling away from her mother, Lucy ran to Sting's side. "Wait. This must be a trick! It has to be a trick!"

"This is too chaotic. This was supposed to be a simple procedure." The king grumbled. "Now, everyone's confused, but if this mess grows anymore, I will have every here arrested. Let us try to be civil. We all need to be the same page if we're going to understand this magnitude of time traveling. The one named Anna Heartfilia, will you begin?"

"Certainly, but please no one needs to interrupt me," She bowed before collecting her thoughts. "Zeref and I came up with the idea of saving five dragonslayers from the past and send them to the future for the sake of defeating Acnologia in the age where magic reaches its peak. However, during my time in the Eclipse Gate, I am unaware of what Zeref has done these 400 years. In my time period, there was no way of defeating Acnologia, so Zeref and I worked together to give humanity a chance of winning. Also, I hate to be right about this, but Sting must have amnesia."

"Amnesia? Do you really think Imma fall for a trick as simple as that one?" Sting scoffed. He wasn't that dumb.

"Hold on,...Anna, if you're telling the truth, who are the five dragonslayers," Lucy frowned. The concept of time travel was no longer a wild book trope to the Celestial Wizard. But could this Anna really be her ancestor? "And who are their parent dragons? There's only a handful of people who know that information."

A playful smirk rested on Anna's face. "Sting is the son of the Dragon of Light, Weisslogia. Natsu, the Fire Dragonslayer, is the son of Igneel. Gajeel is the son of Metalicana and the Iron Dragonslayer. Wendy, the Sky dragonslayer, is the daughter of Grandeeney. Rouge is the son of Skiadram and the Shadow Dragonslayer. Shall I describe their appearance as well?"

"Holy crap...I'm over 400 years old?!" Sting shouted loudly.

"I'm sorry. Did you truly believe dragons existed in the year x777?" The king raised an eyebrow after hearing Sting's remark. "Dragons went extinct a long time ago. Acnologia is the very last one in existence."

"Don't look at me like that!" Sting snarled. "I was raised by a dragon, so I think I'm allowed a pass on holding that belief."

"Wait, what year did you say this was?" Lucy gasped.

The king paused as if the question bizarre even for this situation. Nevertheless, he proceeded by continuing the conversation. "I'll do you one better. The exact date is July 7th of the x777."

"The day the dragons disappeared," Lucy whispered to herself. If what Anna said was correct, there was an explanation as to why the dragons vanish simultaneously. "That's why Natsu could never find Igneel. He doesn't exist in this age..."

"Do not worry Lucy. Igneel is forever in Natsu's heart." Anna smiled, but she knew she could not say much on the subject. The dragons requested that Anna did not speak much on the matter. "But, now I must ask why did you two use the Eclipse Gate? Did Zeref's plan fail?"

"I don't know about Zeref's plan, and I don't trust a plan forged by the Black Wizard himself. Fairy Tail fought Acnologia, but they barely managed to survive that onslaught." Sting folded his arms against. "We planned to travel back to July 1st, x791 because of the Rogue from x792 decided to summon a horde of dragons to kill Acnologia. How we went fourteen years too far is beyond me. Lucy and I are the last humans alive, and her ghost of a guild master sent us to the past for humanity's second chance. So much for that..."

"That's horrible. Is there anything we can do to aid you on your journey?" Layla gasped with a hand over her mouth.

Lucy reached out to touch her mother's hand but ultimately reeled back due to fear. Is it even right to speak her when Lucy was aware of what happens to Layla in the near future? Should Lucy treasure the moment she knows won't last? "Mo-Mom, we need the keys from this time period. Sting and I can't stay in this year. Can you send us to x791?"

"I'm sorry, Lucy, but I can't. I already pushed my body beyond its limit." Layla weakly smiled as the pain became more present on her face. "I had to open the gate with Aquarius's key. There was no other choice."

"...Layla Heartfilia, you are aware of the consequences of that." Anna frowned as she walked towards the weakened woman. "To open Eclipse Gate with only eleven zodiac keys, that would require the life force of a Celestial Wizard. I'm sorry, but you do not have long to live."

"I understand the risk, but I did not want to pass this burden onto Lucy. I wanted Lucy to be free to live a life she so chose." Layla smiled as her legs gave out. "I cannot even give you the eleven keys either. Those who do not belong to me were scattered across Fiore once the gate was unlocked."

"Well, how many did you have? If Lucy had ten by the year x791, we might not need to do that much traveling." Sting hoped, but Lucy and Layla avoided his eyes. They were aware of the truth.

"My mom only held a fourth of the keys," Lucy answered lowly. "Capricorn and Cancer should be in her possession. Aquarius is her third key, and I have no idea where Yukino's keys are. I have an idea where Sagittarius and Tarsus might be, but I collected most of my keys in x784."

"Great, so this a blind mission," Sting grumbled. "Yukino didn't really say where she found Libra or Pisces, so that's like seven keys uncounted for."

Anna pondered out loud. "Not necessarily, Lucy, you said that we were aware of ten of the golden zodiac key's location. It is very rare for them to move, so that should give you an idea of where to find most of them. If the worse case occurs, you and I can force Eclipse's gate open."

"NO!" Layla screamed with a horrid expression. "Please Anna, do not force this upon my daughter. I beg of you."

"...Very well," Anna submitted with a heavy sigh. She turned to the king. "Can I trust that you will aid in this quest? If what Sting says is true, the kingdom of Fiore is in trouble."

"We all have a part to play in this, and I am not an exception." He sighed. "I provide what I can."

"Thank you for everlasting kindness, my graceful king." Layla knelt down and bowed her head in appreciation. "Now, I will take Anna, Lucy, and Sting to my estate to plan their next steps."

"Very well, I will make sure your daughter and Sting will have free transportation during their question." The king replied as he sent the four of them off on their journey.

While the original plan was coming to a halt, Lucy and Sting had no other option except to accept this course of events. The year x777 will be more unfamiliar than either wizard could ever anticipate and face more adversities than they ever imagine.

* * *

**A/N: ****I curious because I don't know where that whole 'Sting calling Lucy, Blondie, and Lucy retorting with _You're blond too_ came from. In all the fanfiction I ever read about Lucy x Sting, they all have that same exact scene and uses it as playful banter. I'm not saying it's bad; I'm confused as to where it came from. **

**I remember when everyone was writing those 'Lucy leaving and becoming stronger at Sabertooth' stories, and they were my absolute jam. It's just a shame that every story forced Lissanna to be the bad guy for hogging Fairy Tail's attention, but if you ever want a story done right, you gotta read 'Abandoned Hearts' by HannieB123. Fair warning, this fanfiction is like four years old and rated M.**

**I personally like the story because of how it handles Lissana as a bad guy. If you're gonna make a 2-D character a villain, HannieB123 did it right in my opinion.**


	3. Redesigned in the Parents' Eyes!

**July 8th, x777**

**Heartfilia Estate**

**11:30 AM**

The wooden carriage slowly rolled to a stop in from the largest house on the Heartfilia property. Just as Lucy remembered from her childhood, their estate was grandiose and breathtaking. The main building was built with two minor wings protruding upwards which created a square space before the entrance which was flanked by two well painted cylindrical towers. Lucy's father had just installed two balconies that sat above one another between the towers, topping the main door. The roof was tilted and pitched, but the windows adorning its front walls are shown to be rectangular and sporting glass.

Anna helped a still weakened Layla out of the carriage as Lucy did the same with Sting who was on the blinking throwing up his insides. The carriage ride was long one Lucy will admit even when they were forced to stop for the White Dragonslayer's sake, but it did give Lucy at the very least some time to speak with her mother about her time in Fairy Tail. As horrible as it sounds, Lucy was aware this information would not influence the future since Layla Heartfilia wasn't destined to live to the end of the year.

Upon their arrival, the residential servants and maid came rushing out of the front entrance. Lucy smiled as she saw a familiar face such as the head maid Ms. Spetto, her old teacher, Mr. Bero, and Aed the head chef. She then frowned once she laid her eyes upon Zoldeo, the man who abused and manipulated Capricorn's body for his own personal goals. For her mother's sake, Lucy avoided mentioning how she obtained Capricorn's key. Behind the crowd of servants, there stood Jude Heartfilia, the head of the Heartfilia Konzem, at the top of the stairs.

"Jude, sweetheart," Layla smiled softly as her husband cut through the wave of maids and butlers. "How have you been these past few days? I know we haven't sent much time together as of late with all the business deals coming in and the preparations for my family's project."

"You overexerted yourself again, haven't you?" Jude sighed, but nevertheless, he gently grasped his wive's arm and wrapped it behind his neck to support her. Turning back to us with his eyebrow raised, Jude frowned. "Who are these people?"

"I believe that conversation should be down in privacy...some things did not go as planned," Layla answered as we followed them in Jude's privacy study room.

The halls shined as the light from the afternoon sky pasted through the glass windows. Around the time of walking up the second flight of stairs, Sting had gotten over his motion sickness and walking on his own. Anna Heartfilia was the one who closed the study's door behind them as the five of them filed into the room.

"I noticed the uncanny resemblance between my Layla and two women. I can only assume they are related to you in some possible way." Jude quickly deducted. "As for the man, his blues eyes allows me to know that he is neither yours or mine since neither of our families is known to have blue-eyed children."

"As keen as always," Lucy chuckled softly, and Jude's eye widened as he recognized the voice. "It's nice to meet you again father."

"Lu-Lucy? How is this possible?" He stammered out before eyeing his wife with pure confusion in his voice. "I thought your family was bringing people from the past, not the future."

Anna Heartfilia stepped up to the center to give a proper explanation. Lucy and Sting leaned against the left bookcase while Layla sat in the only chair in the room. Jude stood to the left of his wife. "Sir, if I may, I am Anna Heartfilia. I am not aware of how much Layla has told you, but I have traveled roughly 400 years through time to give humanity a chance against Acnologia. However, things did not go as planned. Shortly after my arrival, Lucy and Sting exited through the gate and warned us that tens of thousands of dragons will be unleashed upon the world in the year x791."

She studied his facial response before continuing. "However, Lucy and Sting overshot their desired year by fourteen years, and they must collect the twelve keys in order to return their proper time. I implore you not to ask them questions as to what your fate is, in fear of how it might impact the future. Once Lucy and Sting return to the year x791, I will be on my way to complete my own tasks. All we seek is a momentary refuge and some aid."

"It seems some unexpected events have occurred." Jude stroked his mustache. "Very well, but I have one stipulation. Lucy must change her attire into one more befitting of the heir of the Heartfilia fortune. No, she is exposing too much skin for my liking."

"Oh don't worry, Jude dear, I was going to give both of them makeovers," Layla smiled almost too sweetly. "After all, we raised Lucy to wear more than a mini skirt and tank top."

"A change in appearance is in order." Anna tapped her finger on her chin as she studied Sting's outfit. "I will admit. The mother side of me does not appreciate the amount of skin Sting and Lucy are displaying. For heaven sake's, Sting is not even wearing a proper shirt."

"Hey, what's wrong with showing off a little skin?" Sting had the balls to retort such a question. "I worked hard to get an eight pack!"

"That is irrelevant." Anna deadpanned before clearing her throat. "Nevertheless, it is important for them to change not only their attire but their hair as well. They have to become new people for the sake of no one recognizing them and remembering them once they travel fourteen years into the future."

Sting rolled his eyes. "What? Do you want us to use codenames too?"

"That's not a bad idea. If the idea is to avoid recognition, then Lucy and Sting should avoid using their real names in public." Jude approved of the concept. "It would be foolish to use a codename that references their magic specialty."

"So, that means you can't call yourself 'Princess' or whatever." Sting shot Lucy a knowing look which left the adults confusion. "During the Grand Magic Games, I heard her spirits refer to her as Princess which I never thought was a thing. The Celestial Wizard I knew was referred to as 'Master' by her spirits."

"Fine, how about 'Rebecca'? It's a fairly common name, so no one should be able to suspicious of me being Lucy." The Celestial Wizard shot Sting an annoyed glare. She doesn't know how, but Sting managed to predict what Lucy was hoping would be approved. "Happy?"

"Very, as for me, I think I'll either go with Lector or Weiss." Sting shrugged since each name worked for him. Both paid some level homage to the two beings closest to him. With Lector's status being unknown and Weisslogia currently deceased, Sting was indifferent about what his codename would be.

"I am slightly wary about the name Lector since many people in the future know who Lector is." Lucy folded her arms as she thought about the choices. "Weiss would work better in my opinion since no one except a handful of people knows where that name originated from."

Clapping her hands together, Anna had all eyes on her. "Excellent, if the situation arises, you must refer to each as your codenames. Lucy will be known as Rebecca, and Sting will be called Weiss. All that we must do is change their appearance!"

"Lucy, if you don't mind, will you open Cancer's gate," Layla smiled as she handed off two golden zodiac keys to her daughter. "I'm sure you are well aware of the skills he possesses. Normally, I would, but my magic has yet to return to me fully."

"Mom..." Lucy whispered sadly before putting on a brave face as she stepped over to her mother. "I won't let you down. I'll make you proud."

"Oh sweetheart, I'm already proud of you. I retire can happily knowing my keys will be safe in your hands," Layla stood up from the chair to kiss Lucy on the forehead. "Now, Anna and I must be off. We will be back tonight with some clothes for you two. Aquarius's key should arrive by tomorrow, so we'll leave the two of you to your planning."

* * *

**July 8th x777**

**Heartfilia Estate**

**6:54 PM**

The room had this pregnant silence as Cancer colored Lucy's hair black. The now formerly blond duo had relocated to a guest suite in the large mansion. This was the first moment they had alone ever since they escaped the apocalypse. The severity of the situation began to weigh on their conscious even as Sting changed his hair color to green and requested for a more fuzzy consistency. Here sat two teenagers sent on a blind quest for the sake of giving the world a second chance at preventing Future Rouge from succeeding with virtually no guidance. Did they have the king and Jude Heartfilia's backing? Yes, but they no idea of where the other nine keys could be. There's a chance half of them could in another country.

Lucy sighed. She was already terribly homesick. Natsu's toothy smile, Gray's stripping tendencies, Erza's sisterly love, Mirajane's welcoming presence, Juvia's passion, and Levy's book rants. Lucy was beginning to miss them all and only a day had passed.

"Your family is nice. Your dad is fucking loaded if he owns all this land," Sting broke the silence as he stared out the window. The sun had begun to set on the Heartfilia landscape. "Kinda makes a guy wonder why a girl like you gave all this up."

"What do you mean?"

"Like you have it made. There's nothing you can't do or have. Both of your parents love and care enough to help us out. Shit, I'm sorta jealous." Sting halfheartedly chuckled.

Lucy could sigh at Sting's remarks. On the surface, Lucy did have the money and power so many people despairingly chase after. The problem lied for her was everything that occurred behind the scenes. "Everything the glitter isn't gold, Sting. I wasn't happy here anymore, and I desperately wanted a way out."

"Huh? What's wrong with having everything you could want?" Sting turned from the window sill.

"When you're the heiress of a large company, you become nothing more than a pawn for your father's business," Lucy answered as she traced over her pink guild mark. "I think my father's attitude towards me worsened once my mom died. We became distant relatively quickly. I believe my father only noticed my disappearance when he needed me for a marriage arrangement. I was already a member of Fairy Tail, and I was truly enjoying myself as I got to know everyone. But then...my father sent Phantom Lord to capture me."

"Wait! So, that's why Fairy Tail and Phantom Lord had that war?!" Sting's eyes widened in surprise. "And here I thought Phantom Lord wanted to wipe y'all out."

Lucy answered as Cancer dyed her hair midnight black. "It was partially that, but my father was one who initiated the attack. After that, we didn't speak until the company went under. It was only after he lost everything when we became somewhat close. Right now, all I want is to treasure the time I have with them before we have to leave."

"That sucks, but I get it." Sting shot Lucy a sympathetic smile. "I don't even remember what my parents even look like. My earliest memories were all about learning magic with Weisslogia. I would probably be selfish as hell if I got to spend a day or two with my dragon."

"Wait, I thought you killed your drago-" Lucy gasped. She did not mean to ask such a personal question this early on in their friendship. There was a brief glimpse of pain on Sting's face before it disappeared. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine," Sting chuckled dryly. "We're talking about our heritage anyways. I might as well be honest with ya seeing how we're stuck together for the foreseeable future...Weisslogia and Skiadram had gotten sick at some point, and with their final request to Rogue and I, they wanted us to kill them. This way we could obtain Dragon Force. I could barely bring myself to do it. I was crying like a little bitch the whole time."

"I can't imagine being forced to kill a parent you loved," Lucy whispered lowly. "I'm sorry you had to go through that at such a young age."

"Nah, it's alright. I know Weisslogia wouldn't want me to wallow in self-pity." The Holy Dragonslayer shrugged as he leaned against the wall. "Besides, I couldn't watch him suffer a slow death. I had to put him out of his misery; Weisslogia was owed that much."

"It is finished, Ebi!" Cancer announced as he snipped the air. The crab spirit had extended the length of Lucy's hair a fair amount. Now, when Lucy left it down, her hair could reach roughly to the end of her spine. Cancer, also, managed to dyed her hair black and put it into a high ponytail.

"Thank you Cancer," Lucy smiled. "I appreciate all of your help. I can't thank you enough."

The spirit simply knelt and snipped his scissors twice. Cancer flashed her a cool smile as he returned to the Celestial World. "It is my duty, Miss Lucy, and what a fine woman you have grown to be. Ebi!"

"Damn, I don't think I ever heard Yukino's spirit refer to her on a first-name basis." Sting raised an eyebrow. "I thought the whole 'Master' or 'Princess' thing was mandatory."

"Well, I don't like being called 'Master'. I'm their equal and friends." She answered with a comforting smile. "Which is why I don't let them fight my battles, I fight alongside them. I just wish I got to fight on my own more. At times, it feels like somebody is always saving me."

"Oh don't worry, Imma put your ass to work. Blame it on the tiger in me, but both of us will be pulling our fair share." He chuckled a little. "If you want, I can train ya a little with some sparring."

"You would do that for me?" Lucy lit up with excitement.

"...Think of it as an apology. I wanna apologize for what Minerva did to you and Erza during the Grand Magic Games," Sting rubbed the back of his neck. "We both know she crossed the line when she started torturing you. I kinda owe that catgirl for saving Lector, anyways."

"Oh, I don't hold anything either of you," Lucy waved dismissively. "If I held grudges, then I wouldn't have half the friends I have today. Come on, dinner should be done right about now. You haven't lived until you had Aed's famous stromboli. Fair warning, Aed is a stickler for finishing everything you put on your plate."

"And you doubting the stomach of a Dragonslayer?" Sting playfully jeered. "I'll show him the true meaning of a bottomless pit."

* * *

**A/N: Just my thoughts, but I realized that Jude took Layla's last name because Anna's last name is Heartfilia as well. It's weird. I research more for my Fairy Tail fanfiction than I ever did with danganronpa. Like with danganronpa, you have sixteen to eighteen characters you can focus on, but with Fairy Tail, I'm searching up minor characters I forgot existed. I completely forgot about Zoldeo until I was looking up what the Heartfilia Estate looked like.**


	4. New Journey Begins!

**July 9th, x777**

**Train Station**

**7:24 AM**

According to Layla and Anna Heartfilia's desires, Sting and Lucy woke up early this morning to make the first train to Oshibana, the train central of Fiore and one of the first places Team Natsu fought as a one. From there, Lucy and Sting would be on their own for the first since returning to the past.

While Lucy would have preferred to have her father see her off, Jude Heartfilia had a business meeting with the Toko family in the hopes of expanding our property and power. Deep down, Lucy should have expected this much from her father. Profit before anything else...

"I'm sorry your father couldn't make it, but you know he wishes you the best regards," Layla smiled weakly as she held Lucy's hand in between her hands. "Now, be careful Lucy. I want you to come back in one piece."

"I understand mom. It's just how he is." Lucy chuckled dryly. "I'll be back before you know!"

"And the same goes for you, Sting," Anna lectured the drowsy teen. "I do not want to see your name in the newspaper's obituary. Just because you're fourteen years in the past, that doesn't mean you should underestimate the wizards of this year. There are still capable mages who can overpower you."

"I know. I know." Sting groaned as he wiped the crust from his eyes. "Can we get going, now? I wanna take a nap before I'm fully awake."

Sighing at the White Dragonslayer's logic and antics, his new partner waved goodbye to her family and climbed aboard the train. The clouds of steam blew out of the train's chimney as the locomotive began to pick up speed and roll-out of the station. Anna and Layla Heartfilia waved goodbye as the train left their sight. Once Layla was certain Lucy could not see her, the gate opener collapsed from exhaustion. Opening the Eclipse Gate without Aquarius was a mistake, but Layla couldn't have Lucy worrying, not when the world's future was on the line. No, this was one secret she must hide from her daughter. Layla could only pray that she can see Lucy one more time before time runs out.

"Please be safe, Lucy."

* * *

**July 9th, x777**

**Train to Oshibana**

**8:05 AM**

Even with Sting's sleeping head on Lucy's lap, the train ride still felt lonely. She had grown accustomed to having Team Natsu make the rides more enjoyable. The time would fly with Natsu, Erza and Gray. On the rare occasion that Lucy took a mission alone, she still had Loke or Virgo to give her some peace of mind, but Lucy only had three keys on her person. Aquarius was out of the question, not because she needed water to be summoned, but Lucy wasn't in the mood to deal with her attitude. That left Cancer and Capricorn. Both were kind spirits, but they were straight-laced spirits. Ones that didn't deviate from their area of expertise.

"I guess I'll see what I can learn from Capricorn," Lucy sighed as she had an idea of what this conversation would sound like. Snaking her hand into her key pouch, Lucy grasped the sea goat's key. "I call upon you! Open! Gate of the Goat! Capricorn!"

"Lady Lucy," Capricorn knelt down once he passed through the gate. "How can I be of service?"

"Caprico, please, take a seat." She offers the other half of the table to him. "I have some questions that I think you can answer."

Heeding her direction, the spirit sat across from his master. "How may I be assistance, Miss Lucy?"

"As my mother probably explained, I'm gathering the twelve golden keys, but I lack the guidance to locate the majority of them, especially Pisces and Libra. I don't have any of my silver keys. Things are looking pretty grim. Can you think of any person or spirit that might give us a lead to where the left nine might be?"

"Crux, the Southern Cross, is a common silver spirit but a well informed one. If information is what you wish, then I would suggest searching for one of his keys." The Goat spirit explained. "I am unfortunately unable to relay the location of my dear comrades, but Crux has fewer restrictions on what he can speak on."

"That's right! How could I forget about Crux?" Lucy groaned as she facepalmed. She even used the Southern Cross to dig up Loke's past with Karen. "Thank you Caprico. You saved me and Sting a lot of time and energy. I can't believe I overlooked such an obvious answer."

"It is my pleasure, but I must ask this. How do you plan on fighting with only three keys?" He inquired with a worried expression. "Per your word choice, I can assume that you hold more the golden zodiac roster. Therefore, I am concerned that the decrease in allies may put you in harm's way."

Whether Lucy wanted to admit or not, Capricorn raised an excellent point. She comfortable switching between ten keys as the situation changed. However, she was limited to basically two spirits that didn't have a requirement to be summoned. Aquarius might be the strongest spirit on call, but she was nowhere near a suitable body of water. Cancer's strong suit was any situation that involved hair, and Lucy only encountered a handful of those instances. It would wrong to call on Capricorn for every fight. There's a limit to every spirit's stamina. Lucy knew he wouldn't complain, but it would not make that level of dependency acceptable, not for someone who Lucy sees as a friend.

"Should I learn secondary magic?" Lucy asked as she stroked Sting's head. "That might help me in a pinch. I always thought Requip and Transformation magic was pretty cool, then again that might take a while. The longer we stay here the higher the chance of us impacting the future."

"If time is precious, then I suggest tapping into the power of the stars and your spirits."

"Hold on, I thought the point of the conversation was finding a way for me to be less reliant on you, Cancer, and Aquarius," Lucy said with a brow raised in confusion.

"Miss Lucy, there is nothing wrong with relying on our services. We are here to serve and protect you, but I am referring to the power known as a Star Dress." The Goat spirit furthered his explanation. "It seems a deeper and more thorough summary is necessary. The Celestial Spirit Magic Spell known as Star Dress allows the user to incorporate the powers of one of the twelve golden zodiacs into their bodies. It is very similar to Requip magic in the sense that the user can switch between the Star Dresses as one does with armor or weaponry for Requip magic. By forming a trusting bond between you and your spirits, more and more Star Dresses will be unlocked. However, you must first own the key if you ever wish to use that spirit's personalized Star Dress."

"...That's amazing! Think of all the combinations I could make with my spirits!" Lucy said with excitement in her voice. If what Capricorn was saying is true, then she wouldn't be in trouble when one of her spirits were incapacitated or stolen from her. Channeling the power of the zodiac, this would be revolutionized how Lucy battles. This had the potential to bring her closer to Aquarius and the others and allow her to battle alongside them even more than before. "When were you going to tell me this?!"

"Because the amount of magic required is more than most Celestial Wizards can manage." Capricorn waved. "However, I have faith in you, Miss Lucy. The potential inside of you will give you the power to shape your future, remember that and never forget we are with you every step of your journey."

Placing her Fairy Tail emblem close to her heart, Lucy smiled as she watched Capricorn return to the Celestial world. The goat's key shined momentarily before she slipped it back into her pouch. "Thank you, Capricorn. I'll make you proud."

* * *

**July 9th x777**

**O****shibana**

**12:30 PM**

Upon their arrival to Oshibana, Lucy and Sting had to change their attire. They were in the public eye now, so the formerly blond two had to change the way they dressed. Layla and Anna took it upon themselves to prepare more modest clothes for their children.

Lucy grimaced at the outfit as she stood in the women's bathroom. This was practically a nun's dress with how plain it was. The female wizard was staring down a black long sleeve dress with a simple gold belt for her waist. Hidden underneath the dress, Lucy found a pair of simple golden-colored gloves to cover her guild mark and a pair of combat boots. Her mother might as well thrown in the hat for good measure! Lucy groans loudly, not caring who might be in the bathroom with her. Besides, it's the middle of July. "I'm going to have a heat stroke before the day ends."

The now black haired woman sighed as she resigned to her fate. Lucy understood the risk of remaining in her normal attire all too well. Her magic was too recognizable as was Sting's dragonslayer magic. Whatever they could do to hide their identities must be done. A couple of minutes passed before the key holder dragged herself out of the bathroom where she was met with Sting Eucliffe.

He was wearing a dark green leather jacket with the lower half buttoned-down leaving his bare chest partly exposed. His baggy pants were nowhere to be found as they were replaced with a pair of dark blue jeans and black combat boots. "Well, don't you look good and holy? Wanna read some biblical scriptures to pass the time?"

"Oh shut up, the moment I find Virgo's key, I'm getting a new wardrobe." Lucy glared at Sting before waving for him to follow her. "For now, we gotta find a magic shop and buy a silver key."

"What the point of doing that? I thought silver keys were just collectibles compared to the golden ones." He folded his arms defiantly but nevertheless matched her steady pace.

"Treat them with some respect, will you? Each spirit is a living creature with a mind of its own." Lucy narrowed her eyes at Sting. "If we're going to work together, you have to respect _all_ the spirits we come across."

"Fine. Fine, but the first spirit that's disrespectful to me Imma clock them in their mouth."

Lucy let out an exhausted sigh. This day was too taxing for her liking. "Anyways, we need the Southern Cross spirit known as Crux. He has access to information about every known Zodiac spirit and possibly their location."

"Shit, that's convenient. Why didn't you lead with that?" Sting raised an eyebrow as they entered the nearest magic shop. The dragonslayer stood behind Lucy as she began to converse with the clerk man.

"Good afternoon, I'm looking for Crux the Southern Cross. You wouldn't happen to know where to find his key?" Lucy asked politely as she leaned against the counter.

"Ah, I do believe I have one of those keys in stock. Are there any others that interest you?" The store clerk asked as he searched through a box underneath the counter. "As you could probably guess, this town is more of a train hotspot than anything else. So, it's very rare wizards to shop in this town. Now, that will be 40,000 Jewel please."

That's twice as much for what I paid for Plue, you half baked con artist is not what Lucy said.

"I'm sorry, but can you repeat the price-" She asked sweetly but was cut off by the store owner.

"40,000 Jewels, please."

"Why does Crux cost that much?!" Sting grumbled as he reached for his wallet. A stunned Lucy watched as he paid the requested amount, in cash, to the greedy store owner. Her companion handed the silver key to the celestial wizard. "This key better oughta be worth it, or I'm returning the damn thing."

"Thank you and have a wonderful day, sir and madam," The clerk called out as they left the magic shop.

"Th-Thank you," Lucy stuttered as she followed closely behind. "Hey Sti-, I mean, Wiess where did get that money from?"

She wasn't trying to be insulting, but Rouge seemed the more responsible person between him and Sting. And if Sting was anything remotely similar to Natsu, then he shouldn't be handling that much jewels.

"Huh, oh that's just my allowance from Sabertooth," He shrugged. "I'm one of the top earners in the guild, so I get a hella lot more than an average person. Shit, Minerva even gave me a black credit card."

"You do realize we can't use the credit card right?" She sweatdropped.

"Why the hell not? It's my money!"

"Because Sabertooth doesn't exist in this year. You can't use funds that don't exist."

"Oh...shit, that's right. Well shit, how much do you have on you?" He asked as they stood outside a moderate hotel. "Wait, you're filthy rich. Why do we care about funds? Let's milk your dad dry!"

Lucy groaned. Dear Mavis, Sting was just as dense as Natsu."Because we're not supposed to leave any evidence of existing in this year. If I used my father's money, that would lead to the financial situation for my family to change, and I don't want to affect that. For now, we should pull our cash together and try to live off that for as long as possible."

"About 460,000 in cash," He recalled without glancing into his wallet. "And you?"

"200,000 Jewels, so together we have 660,000 Jewels," Lucy concluded with a low sigh of relief. "For now, we're safe, but if this mission is drawn out for too long, then we'll be in trouble."

"Hold on, why did I pay for the damn key if you had 200K?!" Sting shouted as he stomped his foot on the ground. "I want my money back!"

"I didn't ask you to pay for it! If you waited, I could have gotten the price lowered, but you're just as impatient as Natsu," Lucy snapped back. "Now come on, we have to find a room to stay in or we'll be sleeping outside tonight."

"Fine, but you're paying for the damn room," The light dragon grumbled underneath his breath as he followed her inside the hotel.

* * *

**A/N: So like 100 Jewel is equal to about 1 American dollar according to the wiki which is pretty cool. I know that the whole concept for the Star dress doesn't technically come around until the final arc, but come on, this is the best thing to happen to Lucy. It's only a shame Hiro waited until the last goddamn arc to introduce some level of independence for Lucy! I figured I would introduce it a tad earlier than Fairy Tail did.**

**Keys Obtained: **Cancer, Aquarius, Capricorn, and Crux

**Keys Needed: **Leo, Aries, Virgo, Taurus, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Gemini, Libra, and Pisces


	5. A Little Guidance from A Old Friend!

**July 9th x777**

**Oshibana**

**9:35 PM**

Steam poured out of the bathroom as Lucy stepped out. The two of them managed to buy a room for the night for about thirteen hundred Jewels. Once they dropped their bags onto the ground, Lucy immediately claimed the bathroom so she could take a nice, long and hot shower. Thirty minutes passed before she even considered leaving the bathroom. Oddly enough Sting never bothered to knock on the door, urging her to hurry up. Taking the blessing, Lucy took her time as she appreciated the 'me' time.

"Hey Sting, I save you some hot wat-" Lucy said as she stepped out of the bathroom. Once she finished drying her hair with a hotel towel, Lucy witnessed the horror Sting created and why he was quiet for the past half hour. The room was littered with discarded wrappers, half-eaten plates of food, unopen containers, and jugs of different drinks. "What? Where did all this come from?!"

"Yo," He casually waved as he swallowed the food in his mouth. "I got hungry. I ordered room service."

"Wh-How much did this cost?"

"I dunno...around three thousand jewels probably."

Lucy groaned as she paced from one end from the room to another. In the span of a single shower, Sting had managed to spend that much on food alone. "Dear Mavis, you're actually worse than Natsu. I cannot believe this. Does every dragonslayer eat like someone who was starved for a week?!" If this was a warning, then they were going to blow through their money faster than Lucy had anticipated. "You're paying for all this."

"I can't. I used you your stash to pay the guy." The Light Dragonslayer nonchalantly shrugged as he tossed another finished dish to the side.

"You what? You owe me three thousand jewels then!"

"Correction, you owe me thirty-seven thousand jewels. I paid for Crux."

Seeing his knowing smirk, Lucy sighed as she sunk into her bed. She knew this wasn't an argument worth having nor fighting. The black-haired girl gave him an annoyed glare before reaching for the sealed container of chicken parmesan. "Might as well eat my share...I'm paying for it anyway."

"That's the spirit!" He cheered with a chicken leg in his hand. "So, what's this Crux spirit supposed to show up?"

"I have to create a contract first. Then, I'll be able to summon him like Capricorn and Cancer." Lucy explained as she fumbled for his key. Setting her dish to the side, she poured magic into the Southern Cross. "_I beckon the Southern Cross to my side! Heed my words and answer my call! Pass through the Celestial Gate, __Crumudgeon!"_

The elderly spirit appeared with a dazzling light. His head was in the shapes of a metallic cross with a floral-like golden pattern in the four-pointed corners. With his eyes closed, Crux levitated about a foot from the floor. He wore something that resembles an outfit from medieval times.

"Grandpa Crux, thank you for answering my call," Lucy smiled as she rested his key onto her lap. "Shall we begin writing up your contract?"

"I am free at any time I needed. However, I must warn you that I...have...a tendency...to...zzz." Crux succumbed to his narcotic patterns.

"...Did he really just fall asleep?" Sting's eyes widened as he spoke in a surprised tone. "What the hell? Wake up!"

Snapping his eyes open, Crux seemed visibly shaken by Sting's outburst.

"Er...Thank you, Sting." Lucy eyed him warily before turning back to Crux. "I'll make this quick. I need to locate the twelve golden keys, and I already have Aquarius, Cancer, and Capricorn. Do you know a way to find the rest of where they might be?"

"Master, I must warn you. There is a limit to what I am able to relay to you. The location of unbound keys is fairly easy to learn, yet I cannot disclose the location of spirits with contracts nor who their master may be. Do you understand? That is simply beyond my control. Only Leo or the King can disclose that information." Grandpa Crux explained with a sadden expression. "I'm sorry, but I must state that before I do any research."

"I understand what you are saying, but please call me Lucy or Miss Lucy. I want to be your friend, not your master." She smiled before returning to the matter at hand. "Is there any way of knowing who is unbound?"

"Currently...the remaining nine are free, but you must act fast. There are Celestial Wizards en route for them. Karen, a rising star in Blue Pegasus, is one." The old spirit sighed. "From what her silver keys have said, I pray no other key falls into her hand. Everlue is another as he is close to collecting one key."

"Wait, doesn't that bitch die in like five years or something," Sting cocked an eyebrow.

Lucy sighed as Crux quietly stared at him. Unfortunately, Karen was known for abusing her spirits as Angel did. Karen treated her spirits worse than Angel. However, Scorpio and Gemini weren't treated the same way Aries was. From what Crux and Loke told her, Karen would force Aries to sustain her own gate for days on end. If Lucy had to think of an equivalent of that for a human, she'd go with a slow-acting poison. "Yes, but she's alive now, and we have to beat her to Aries!"

"Unfortunately, Aries and Libra, both must be won in a tournament." Crux informed us with his arms crossed. "The tournament will begin September 1st in Veilstone City. However, I do believe Virgo's key is a day's walk from your current location."

"Virgo's the one in the skimpy maid outfit, right?" Sting asked as he licked his twentieth plate clean.

"Yes, but she's one of my most loyalist spirits," Lucy huffed out a sigh. With the wide range of characteristics Virgo has, Sting would remember the demeaning one. "Thank you Crux, do you know where Virgo's key is exactly? That would be a huge help for us."

"Of course, Miss Lucy. I do believe Virgo is working in Shirotsume Town. Now, I must be on my way. I...must do...some more..rese-zzzz"

"Thank you for your work." Lucy smiled as she sent the knowledgable spirit back to the Celestial World. She placed his key back into her pouch and resumed eating. "Well, we have a lead on a couple. That's good news, and Virgo's one of them."

"Yeah, but why are Aries and Libra prizes in a tournament," Sting asked as he waved a fork up of spaghetti around. "You said Celestial spirits are treated like regular people."

She answered with pain her eyes as she thought back the punishment Aries and Loke had to endure. "I said that _I _treat them like people... I've heard what happens when a spirit has an abusive master."

"Like what?"

"...Karen, the one Crux mention, when she had Aries and Loke's keys, she would force Aries to stay in the human world for weeks on end. For a spirit, that's torture. The energy in the Celestial World maintains their life force, and the magic from a Celestial Wizard acts as a substitute for them. The stronger the wizard, the longer the spirit can stay in the human world. However, when a spirit is forced to stay in the world using their own magic...it slowly kills them. For Loke, that's nothing, but that would bring Aries to the edge of death. Karen did this one a regular basis, and I'm grazing the amount of physical abuse they suffered under her control. It makes me sick."

He raised an eyebrow with confusion. "And she was allowed to keep her spirits? Ain't like that illegal?"

"No..." Lucy sighed. "Sadly, spirits don't have any rights in our world since they're technically not citizens. No one can take legal actions if Karen kills Aries or a different spirit, but Loke was punished for inadvertently killing Karen. By forcing his gate open for an extended period of time, Karen couldn't take any missions because she couldn't keep two golden gates open at the same time."

"I guess he got tired of the abuse."

"It wasn't even that. Karen was only abusing Aries because she knew the Ram was weaker of the two. For Aries' sake, Loke forced his gate open and would only return to the spirit world when Aries' contract was nullified. Karen didn't agree and went on a mission she couldn't handle. Needless to say...Angel became Aries' new master, and Loke was banished from the spirit world for about two years."

"Let me get this straight...Angel killed Karen, and this Loke guy takes the blame?"

"Basically...I'm just glad I could reunite most of them." Lucy smiled softly. "They're family after all."

"Family, huh?" Sting grumbled before laying back on his hotel bed with his arm behind his head. "What's it like being a Fairy? Is it really like a family?"

The Celestial Wizard blinked twice before she could process Sting's question. "Of course, Natsu and the guys might fight each other every chance they get, but we loved each other to death. Erza's like a big sister to me, and I treat Wendy like a little sister. Master treats every member, new or old, as a child of his own. Every day's an adventure, and I smile and laugh each day. A moment doesn't pass without me being grateful for meeting everyone I've come to love. Why do you ask?"

"Nothing...it's just that Sabertooth is nothing like that. Everyone's always trying to one-up another and fighting for dominance. The negativity and hatred get annoying. Did you know Master Jiemma didn't allow any missions below an S-rank? He believed that anything below an S-rank wasn't worth a tiger's time. Shit, I'm not even gonna touch on the 128 person tournament he used to host for one person to join the fucking guild. That bastard was ridiculous," Sting scoffed as he reclaimed his memories as a Sabertooth tiger. "The only reason I joined Sabertooth was that Fairy Tail was practically dead. I didn't see the point of joining a guild in the brink of self-imploding."

"I'm sorry to hear that..." Lucy mumbled softly as she stared at the ground. "I can't imagine how tough that must have been."

"Meh, it's alright. Rouge and Lector made it toleratable. And, chick flock to me, so that's a plus. Shit, I wore more latex than a doctor." Sting laughed loudly at his perverted joke.

"Gross, I don't want to hear your sex history." She crinkled her nose while cringing.

The White Dragonslayer rolled his eyes at Lucy's prudeness. Avoiding her screaming his head off, Sting kept the suggest of sex to himself. "Fine, but I'm serious about Rouge and Lector. They were the best kind of friends I could ask for. Lector would keep my ego in the sky while Rouge was my rock in the ground. Those two kept me sane. It just sucks that neither of them is here..."

"I get it. I wish Natsu was here. He might be an idiot, but I feel safer when I know he's around. Everything works out perfectly when he is by my side." Lucy said as she curled up in a ball. "Hey Sting...everything's gonna work out, right? We won't fail Master Mavis...right?"

"Shit, I mean we have a plan and we're a fourth of the way done. Unless we fuck up to the utmost degree, I'm sure we'll be fine." He shrugged before seeing the worried expression printed on Lucy's face. "Look, I know I ain't Natsu, but I promised him I would protect ya. I'll be damned if Imma let you die on my watch. So put some faith in me and see how far that gets us."

"I'll...try. Thank you, Sting."

"Don't worry about it. It's getting late, so I'm going to sleep." He yawned before throwing the sheet over his tired body. Hugging his pillowing, Sting drifted off.

Lucy glanced around the room and noticed the mess he had left. Well, Sting and Natsu have that in common Lucy thought. The black-haired girl knew that she wouldn't get the dragonslayer to clean early in the morning, and she couldn't look at the staff in the eyes if they left without cleaning. So, Lucy began to sort the food into two piles, what could be saved for later and what had to be thrown away.

Technically, she was paying for all of this, so it would be within her rights to take what they didn't finish, right? Thirty minutes passed before Lucy had an idea of what food was left. A little less than half was untouched which irked her a little. Why spend three grand if you can only eat half? Resigning to her fate, Lucy stacked and wrapped the remaining food in some bags she found scattered around the room. "_Open! Gate of the Goat! Capricorn!_"

"How can I be of assistance?" He bowed before surveying the situation.

"Is there a way to store our leftovers in your world? Sting ordered more than either of us can finish in one sitting." She motioned to the bags on the table. "And...can we begin my Star Dress training tomorrow? I want to be more than just a key holder during this mission. I don't want to be the damsel in distress forever. I can't keep playing that role."

"The leftovers will be refrigerated, and I already have a proper training regimen for you." Capricorn stacked the bags on top of each other perfectly and pulled out a small notebook with his free hand. "Yes, I spoke with Aquarius, and we believe it will be beneficial if you began with her Star Dress."

"Won't I need water to do that?" Lucy folded her arms as she felt a chill go down her spine. Training with Aquarius...She'll be lucky if the Water Bearer doesn't try to drown her. But, Lucy wasn't willing to back down from a chance to grow. "I guess Sting and I could walk to the next town. After all, we're bound to come across a river or a stream."

"No, the Star Dress spell only requires a bond between spirit and master, but I will report to Aquarius about this development." The Goat hummed as he took a mental note of Lucy's misunderstanding. "Originally, I was going to mentor you in the ways of mastering each Star Dress, but it will be more beneficial if each spirit taught you. That will result in a stronger bond."

"Great..." Lucy facepalmed as Capricorn returned to the Spirit World. "Aquarius is going drown me tomorrow."

* * *

**A/N: I felt it would be too easy if Crux just blurted out the location of every key. Nah, that's too easy. **

**Keys Obtained: **Cancer, Aquarius, Capricorn, and Crux

**Keys Needed: **Leo, Aries, Virgo, Taurus, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Gemini, Libra, and Pisces


	6. A Nightmare to Remember!

_**Unknown**_

_**Unknown**_

_**Unknown**_

_The smoke in the air burned Sting's lung with every sharp inhale. He ran as fast as his feet could carry him as the tears stung his eyes. The world had turned into a hellscape within the hour once the dragons were unleashed upon them. With Jiemma dead from Sting's raged fill attack, the guild had turned to the White Dragonslayer to lead them, and he did lead his guild._

_Straight to their deaths._

_It was a one-sided massacre against his guild. Nothing they used had a significant effect on the ancient dragons. Even with two dragonslayers on their side, Sting witnessed the devastation to his friends. For dragons who were nearly 400 years old, they worked in perfect synchronicity almost as if they knew what to expect from us. _

_Rufus and Orga were the first ones to be taken down. One of the dragons under Future Rogue's brushed off their attacks and retaliated with his own breath attack that swept the two off their feet. Sting and Yukino rushed to their aid, but a swarm of metallic dragons surrounded them before Sting could reach his friend. Instiniccally, The White Dragonslayer shielded Yukino from the onslaught brought upon the mechanical dragons. The stench of blood filled the air as Yukino screamed out in horror. Sting forced her away from the scene while she pleaded to see her friends._

_Rogue was as soon taken away from the guild by a dragon with an army of those mini dragons following it. His dear friend and closest companion, Frosch, was trapped underneath the dragon's claw. The pain in Rogue showed when the dragon threatened to devour Frosch if the Shadow Dragonslayer attempted to flee. The raven-haired man mouthed a silent apology to Sting before resigning to his fate. The White Dragonslayer called out to his best friend in desperation._

_With three of the guild's best now gone, morals were at an all-time low. Sting tried to rally them once more, but the despair in their eyes was growing exponentially. He knew wasn't as inspiring as Natsu, but there was still hope...right? Lector tried to put a brave face on for Sting, but the fear of death had a firm grip on the cat. Yukino was shaken by the catastrophe around them. _

_Minerva hasn't been account for since the end of the Grand Magic Games, but Sting had faith in the malady. Although she was manipulative and antagonist, Jiemma's daughter was an opportunist and survivalist. She had the capabilities to survive the apocalypse. Sting only wished she was here to intimidate everyone back in line..._

_The darkest hour of Sabertooth begun when Future Rogue appeared the guild with three dragons in tow. He came with two propositions for the remaining members of the guild. _

_Hand over Yukino's keys and Sting's head and he will spare everyone who bares the guild's mark._

_Sting felt a chill run down his spine as he witnessed the desperation in his guild members' eyes consume them. Yukino screamed out in defiance as she stood before the dragonslayer. Lector joined in hopes of rallying his guild back to their sides. The blond dragonslayer stood in awe and shock. He had turned his back to the Celestial girl only three days prior, but she still defended him in his moment in need. _

_This was quickly ruined when the riot erupted, and all it took was one dragon eating someone alive. Sting watched in horror as the dragon cracked his guildmate's head open before chewing him into pieces. Future Rouge's smirk was burned into the deepest part of Sting's mind. The guild of tigers turned to the dragonslayer, celestial wizard, and Exceed._

_Taking command, Yukino handed off Pisces and Libra to Sting and urged him to run. He was their last hope. Without him, the foundation of Sabertooth would crumble. The dragonslayer desperately screamed for her to reconsider and escape with him, but a gust of wind knocked the air of his lungs. Lector swept Sting off his feet and flew away at Max Speed. Yukino saluted the cat as he took heed to her words. On her last stand, Yukino summoned the blacken snake of the stars. _

_Future Rouge raised his left hand as a signal for the dragons to follow the escapees. Ophiuchus tried to slam the dragons down with a tail whip, but a single black thread pierced the heart of the white-haired fair maiden. A smirk graced Rogue's face as he left his former comrade to suffer a slow and painful death._

_To him, it was a fitting death for the girl. She didn't bare the guild's mark, so dying alone was her only true option. _

_The tears in the dragonslayer's eyes stung and blurred his vision as Lector desperately tried to outfly the dragons on their tails. Skillfully dodging the roars and swipes coming from behind, Lector pleaded with Sting to work with him. They were the last of the guild as possibly the last mages alive. Once the dragons appeared, the guilds dispersed to control the amount of damage done across the city. _

_NO!_

_More than likely, Fairy Tail was still holding their own against the enemies, but neither knew how long those Fairies would hold out. Against the odds, Fairy Tail always came out on top. No matter the enemy...No matter the consquences...No matter the circumstance...They always won. The stories always painted them as champions of the world and matched by none. And a swarm of dragons wouldn't make a difference...right? Sabertooth might have failed, but Fairy Tail would bring the world to a brighter future._

_ That's how this story is supposed to end!_

_They win the games and save the world, right!_

_In the darkest hours, Fairy tail is always the beacon of hope!_

_SO, WHY!?_

_WHY IS NATSU DRAGNEEL'S CORPSE LIE BEFORE HIM?_

"Sting!" Lucy's desperate scream priced his dream and shocked him awake. That's right. It was only a nightmare. A truthful nightmare, but nothing more than a terrible nightmare. "Sting, what's wrong?!"

A small groan escaped his lips as he sat upward in his bed. His heart was pounding rapidly against his ribcage. His skin was soaking the bed with sweat. To his left, the blond dragonslayer saw the pain in his new partner's eyes. "What happened? You started thrashing in the bed and screaming Yukino and Natsu's names. Your magic kept flaring; I thought would activate Dragon Force by accident."

"I was?" He gripped his throbbing head. "Shit, it felt so real. I thought was reliving everything again."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Lucy sat on the edge of his bed. "Whenever Natsu would get night terrors about Igneel, I would comfort him the same way."

Sting initially flinched at the sound of his childhood model's name, but he tried to hide his fear with feint confidence. "Hehe, the great and terrifying Natsu gets night terrors? I never would have guessed."

"Please, let's be honest with each other," Lucy held his hand in between her hands. "We're all that each other has left."

"That's the problem. Why did I get to survive? Yukino died in my place, and I just ran away with my tail between my legs." He cried out. "I couldn't stop Minerva from holding Lector as ransom! I couldn't fight Fairy Tail when they were on their last leg! And I couldn't protect my own damn guild! I'm a coward. I shouldn't be here."

"If you're a coward, then that must make me a burden," Lucy let out a hollow chuckle which surprised Sting. He didn't think the Light of Fairy Tail to be capable of self-depreciation. "I was chosen to be a member of my guild's strongest team. And yet, I lost to Flare on the first day. The only reason I earned any points was because Minerva felt generous. Everyone else had a moment to shine. Natsu winning in the double battle. Erza took down a hundred monsters. Wendy tied with Godslayer. Gray beat Rufus and Lyon back-to-back. Cana showed her mastery of _Fairy Glitter_. Mira beat Jenny with one hit. Laxus wiped out an entire team on his own. Juvia amazed the audience with her mastery of water. And me? I only held them back."

A moment of silence hung in the room as they collected themselves. Lucy cleared her throat and smiled softly at Sting. Her smile warmed his heart. "But you, Sting? You're strong. Master Mavis recognized your strength and placed her trust in you. There's no point in playing the blame game. We all are responsible for the choices we made then and right now at this moment. Mavis gave us the chance to rewrite that disaster, and I'm going to do everything I can to save my guild. I might not be as strong as Natsu or Erza, but I'll be _damn_ if I'm going to give anything less than my very best. What about you Sting? What are you going to do because whatever it is...I'll be by your side no matter what."

"I...I want to save Yukino and my guild from those terrible deaths." He forced his voice out of his throat as he stared at Lucy with amazement in his eyes. "They didn't deserve to suffer, and I won't late Future Rogue beat me again."

"That's what I've been waiting to hear," Lucy's lips curled upward as he raised up from Sting's bed. The fear of abandonment flood his system, and Sting was holding Lucy's wrist before he could realize what was happening. "Hmm? Is something wrong?"

"Er um...Can we share a bed for the night? Just for tonight. I...I don't want to feel alone right now." Sting admitted with a bit of hesitation in his voice. He didn't intend to sound desperate, but the memories of his friends were still fresh in his mind. The wound wasn't healed completely. "I'm not co-coming onto you. I promise. It's just that-"

"I understand," Lucy slid into his bed as Sting stammered through his sentence and curled up against his soaked body. "I know where your heart is, Sting."

"Hey Lucy, I want you to know that you're wrong about that stuff from earlier." Sting wrapped his hand around her waist and pull her a little bit closer. "You're not a burden. You might not know this, but you have the power to change people for the better."

"Thank you, Sting." Lucy murmured as she slowly fell back to sleep.

Two hearts of two guilds came to understanding. Both witnessed the horrors of Future Rouge's slaughter, but they continue to live on. Every beat from their hearts proved that they will continue on their journey until the future is rewritten. Sting and Lucy might be down, but they're far from losing.

* * *

**A/N: It's sorta an apology for missing last week. I got caught up with my family during Thanksgiving, and the same might happen during Christmas. I'll do my best to these chapters out.**


	7. Unleash the Power of the Water Bearer!

**July 10th, x777**

**Road to Shirotsume Town**

**3:30 PM**

On their journey to Shirotsume Town, the White Dragon and the Light of Fairy Tail decided to break a lunch break and enjoy the leftover from yesterday. Upon bringing the food out of the Celestial World, Capricorn informed Sting about Lucy's scheduled training and, to her dismay, Sting volunteered to be her sparring partner in a no-hold-bar-all-knock-out fight to which the Goat agreed.

After a quiet and anxiety-high lunch, Lucy found herself standing in a knee-high river and standing roughly five feet from a grinning Sting. "So this Star Dress..."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Lucy said as she dunked the Water Bearer's key into the stream. "_I call upon thee. Open! Gate of the Water Bearer! Aquarius!"_

In all of her aquatic glory, the shimmery mermaid appeared with a grand frown on her face. The light blue-haired woman had a long blue fish-tail and a dark blue bikini top. Aquarius held her magical urn underneath her arm as she impatiently swayed her tail.

"Let's get this show on the road. I got a date in an hour, but then again...you wouldn't know what that's like." Aquarius flipped a strand of hair over her shoulder with a smirk on her face.

"You don't have to rub it in!" Lucy shouted as her face turned red with rage. Taking a moment to breathe and to compose herself, Lucy tried to take control of the situation. "Can you please tell me how to use your Star Dress? It's important."

"Star Dress, huh? Isn't that above your current magic level, brat?" Aquarius raised her eyebrow for a moment before frowning.

"It's possible, but I will never know until I try. And I have to try for the sake of saving those who I love. So please, can we put aside our differences for them?" Lucy pleaded as she laced her fingers together.

Aquarius had a smart remark ready for the failure of a Celestial Wizard, but the determination in this little girl's voice made the spirit pause. For a brief moment, Lucy almost resembled Layla with that expression. Aquarius had to remind herself that this was the same girl who used to summon her from a bathtub. Even though this was Layla's offspring, the Water Bearer had a hard time treating Lucy with the same respect as Layla. Hell, Aquarius resents the girl for being everything Layla wasn't and snaps over the simplest issues. Given what Capricorn told them, this Lucy was fourteen years ahead of everyone else, so that might be enough time for Aquarius to take heed of this one request. Even if Lucy dies, Aquarius won't have to be bothered with damn brat anymore.

"...Treat it like your summoning me through your body and not through the key. When you feel my presence through your entire body, you will need to finish the spell by chanting _Star Dress: Aquarius Form_. Understand?" Aquarius said with a dismissing air around her. "I'm sure even you can master a spell as simple as this one, but then again... you can't find a boyfriend. So, my expectations are low."

"Thank you, Aquarius. I won't let you down." Lucy smiled as she ignores the jab at her.

"Don't die. We just made a contract, and it would be a pain to form another with some rando. Well, I have a date, so don't call me for a while." The Water Bearer waved as she disappeared into the Celestial World. "I grant Lucy Heartfilia access to my Star Dress."

"Alright, now that psycho's gone, can we get this show on the road?" Sting impatiently tapped his ground against the ground.

"Sorry, Aquarius isn't one of my cooperative spirits, but she made me who I am today..." Lucy awkwardly scratched her cheek.

The journey between Lucy and Aquarius has been one no one expected. Given her mother was the one who passed down the Water Bearer's key, one would expect the spirit to automatically give Lucy the same amount of respect. Oh, how wrong Lucy was. Even before Lucy and Aquarius signed a contract, the Water Bearer has down nothing but a tormentor and demon to Lucy, but the Heartfilia still believes the mermaid was her first friend. When the odds were against Lucy, she knew Aquarius was her ace in battle. Like the ocean, Aquarius was ruthless and relentless to everyone that crosses her path and left wreckage in her wake. Nevertheless, Lucy glad to had met Aquarius because that spirit shaped her into the woman she is today. With her eye closed, Lucy smiled fondly at the memories they made together. She placed the end of Aquarius's key to her chest and allowed the magic to flow through her body. "_Star Dress: Aquarius Form!"_

A blue developed Lucy as she felt a surge of power enter her body. Once the light died down, Lucy noticed that she wasn't in the nun outfit anymore. Rather, she was wearing a bikini top that sports a zigzag design and a miniskirt. Aquarius' zodiac sign was located between Lucy's collarbone whilst in this state.

"Ahh, there your usual skimpy outfit," Sting let out a sigh of relief. "The whole nun thing was killing me."

"Dear Mavis, are you done with the objectification?!" Lucy shouted as she shook her fist, inconsequently sent a torrent of water at the White Dragonslayer and knocking him back into a tree. "Sting! I'm so sorry! I didn't-"

"Nah, it's cool. That's one hell of an attack." The Sabertooth member said as he rolled his jaws. "Come on, let's see what this Star Dress can do. Who knows...I might teach ya a thing or two."

"Right!" She nodded once before taking her usual battle stance. This would mark the first round of training between them, and Lucy was aware of the chances of her beating Sting were slim. Dragonslayers were notorious for being stronger than normal mages. But, that did not give her an excuse not to give it her all. Commanding the water, Lucy unleashed two Water Nebula in Sting's direction.

Smirking, the White Dragonslayer lit his fist with a bright pure light. Sting tore through the water with his White Dragon Claw and close in the distance between the duo. Lucy jumped backward as she avoided his attack. After what her friends told her after Natsu's match against Sting, she was well aware of the side effects of that attack. One strike and Sting would have her paralyzed. Unlike Natsu, she couldn't burn away the stigma, but maybe Loke's Star Dress could counteract it. That would be a test for another day. For now, Lucy had to keep a distance from Sting.

Taking a page from Aquarius's book, Lucy cracked her whip in the stream and unleash a tsunami onto the forest. The natural disaster tore through the area, uprooting towering trees and destroyed the landscape. Sting threw his arms up in a defensive manner as the tsunami push him back a considerable distance, but he was only left with minor scratches when the attack dispersed.

"Are you done yet?" Sting spit some blood into the river before smirking. "Cuz I'm about ready to beat your ass."

"No, because I'm going to win this!" She snapped her whip against the ground to intimidate Sting, but that tactic lead to the Earth rippling towards the dragonslayer at an alarming speed. A speed neither mage anticipated. Before the White Dragonslayer could properly defend himself, the attack sent him flying into the air. Lucy watched in awe as she tried to understand what her whip had done. There were two reasons Lucy found logical enough, as to why this occurred. This Star Dress allowed Lucy to liquidate any substance with the help of her whip, or Aquarius has the power to manipulate the ground and never told Lucy. Given that Lucy fears Aquarius, she went with the first option.

Using a breath attack to soften his landing, Sting glared at his partner. "You said Aquarius was a water-based spirit so what the fuck was that attack?! How strong is that whip of yours?! Since when could you use Earth Magic?!"

"One, this is a whip from the Celestial World, so naturally it's stronger than the average whip. Two, I didn't expect that of all-"

"Expect this! Holy Ray!" Sting joined the open palms of his hands together, with all the fingers on his left hand in contact with his right hand, and then separates his palms while keeping the fingers in contact through their tips. The light was generated in the hollow part between his hands, expanding from the holes between Sting's fingers. At this point, the White Dragon Slayer completely separated his hands, extending them horizontally at his body's sides as the light generated takes the form of a large sphere, from which several white rays were fired towards Lucy. His attack curved through the air as rays sped toward Lucy.

The Celestial Wizard through her arms in a futile attempt to defend herself. A thin veil of water surrounds her body for a third of barrage. Forced to endure the rest of the onslaught, Lucy bared the pain. She knew that she had to set the bar as high as possible for herself. Lucy wouldn't suffer defeat after only one of Sting's attack, but the Celestial Wizard was aware that she wasn't as durable as other Fairy Tail members like Erza or Gajeel. So, Lucy had to learn to outmaneuver her opponents, starting with Sting.

"White Dragon Roar!" He released a concentrated breath of white dragonslayer magic in the form of a laser. The ruin battlefield was scarred more as the laser tore through the ground. Lucy summoned two water pillars from the river to intercept the attack as she sidestepped away from the collision. Cracking her whip against the ground once again, Lucy sent an earth-shattering ripple as a counterattack.

"Time to end this! Aquarius's Whirlpool!" Manipulating the river, Lucy formed a vortex of water around her being. She began to spin her hands in a clockwise motion quickly building a whirlpool before her. Launching the attack at Sting, Lucy caught a glimpse of his smirking expression.

"White Dragon Claw!" Sting tore through the whirlpool with his right claw fairly easily and swiped his hand against Lucy's stomach with his left. In one quick maneuver, the dragonslayer had her face in the dirt and her left arm pinned against her back as he hovered over Lucy. "Now, we're done."

* * *

**July 10th x777**

**Shiro****tsume Forest**

**4:30 PM**

Half an hour had passed after Sting won the sparring match. Lucy was a decent sparring partner if Yukino or a Mermaid Heel chick needed someone, but the White Dragon desired a true challenge. Yes, Lucy's Star Dress was new and exciting, but Lucy lacked the physical abilities to truly match Sting. Long-distance fighting was rare in a real brawl. He knew Lucy had some potential, but it would be a while before Lucy held a candle to his raw power.

"You don't get punch a lot, do you?" Sting asked rather bluntly as they made their way to the next town.

"You don't how to talk to girls, do you?" Lucy retorted with a sweatdrop-like expression.

"I'm serious! You tried your hardest to stay away from close combat fighting during the whole sparring match! Why?!"

"I'm sorry if you have the power to paralyze people! I wasn't in the mood to lose so quickly!"

"You still lost, so how it that work out for ya?" Sting said with a triumphant smirk.

Disgusted by the whole bickering, Lucy sighs heavily. "Did you start talking just to pick another fight, or did you have a purpose?"

"I thought Fairy Tail was all about spontaneous brawls and crap like that. Why were you so distant in our fight?" The White Dragon folded his arms across his chest.

"Because those fights are Natsu and Gray's thing, I never had a reason to join one of those fights." Lucy shrugged nonchalantly. Even though Lucy earned her place in Fairy Tail and was on relatively good terms with everyone, no one expected the Celestial Wizard to throw a punch. Hell, half the guild thought she would choke Natsu out with her whip before punching the dude. "No one expects a Celestial Wizard to know how to fight up close."

"Oh, that's bullshit, and we're doing something about it." Sting frowned. "I ain't never heard of a Fairy being predictable, and you ain't gonna be the first!"

"Sting..."

"Ya might not be a tiger, but I'll make you into a person you should've been a long time ago. Shit, you might even give Natsu a run for his money." He jokingly said.

Lucy let out a small giggle that caught his attention. "And this coming from the guy who tag-teamed Natsu and still lost."

"Hey, hey, the next fight will be different. You're not only one that's gonna get stronger. I won't lose a second time!" He shot her a pointed look before halting his walk. "Did you feel that?"

"Feel what? Sting, you know dragonslayers have enhanced senses. It's probably someone sparring in the forest." She said dismissingly before feeling the trembles underneath her feet. "Wh-What? Is this an earthquake?"

"No, it's Earth magic!" The bushy-haired man exclaimed before he tackled his companion off the road. A generously sized burrow sped towards the duo. Sting jumped in front of his female partner and lit his fist as he mentally prepared himself for a fight. Lucy, not the one to be outdone, snapped her whip against the ground with one hand and hover over her keys with the other. A large figure spun out the ground and eclipsed the sun in a single jump. Upon the figure's return to Earth, Lucy's eyes widen in horror once she recognized the person.

"VIRGO?!"

"BULLSHIT! VIRGO WAS HOTTER THAN THAT!"

* * *

**A/N: I wanted to start the chapter with **"Okay, this is called a sucker punch," **and having Sting knock Lucy to the ground with a right hook, but I had to scratch it. I thought it would be fitting to make Aquarius the first Star Dress Lucy uses because they have such a strong bond. **

**Contrary to my Juvia story, I like Gray's arc through Fairy Tail. I love how every major fight made him grow more as a person. Lyon and Deliora? Came to terms with Ur's death! Juvia? The main love interest and best damn partner for him! Rufus? Redemption and beat the odds! Silver? Closure with his father and learned Demon Slaying magic! Ur? Accepting everything and pushing Lyon to do the same! Like every battle pushed him to grow in some aspect and I love that.**

**Keys Obtained: **Cancer, Aquarius, Capricorn, and Crux

**Keys Needed: **Leo, Aries, Virgo, Taurus, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Gemini, Libra, and Pisces


	8. Appear My Most Loyal Servant!

**July 10th, x777**

**Shirotsume Forest**

**4:50 PM**

Lucy stood in horror as the brutish version of Virgo towered over them with her large stature. Questions were flying through Lucy's brain as she tried desperately to understand the situation. Why did Virgo have to be the one to ambush them? Against all the odds, the Maiden stood before Lucy in this overweight version of herself, and, more likely than not, Duke of Everlue was her new Master. Dear Mavis, she was going to have to fight that perverted man again, wasn't she?

"Virgo, what are you doing here?!" Lucy shouted with shock in her voice.

"My master was in danger due to the influx of magic in the area. I must eliminate the threat." Virgo said in a deep voice as her eyes flashed blood red. My blood ran cold as reality settled into my mind. Her most loyal spirit didn't bat an eye as she swung a right hook at Lucy.

Thankfully, Sting's response was quicker than Lucy. He tackled the Celestial Wizard to the ground before Virgo's attack could connect. The White Dragon let out an amusing growl as he rose from the ground. "Hell yeah, the first fight of the quest! Let's start this off right!"

"Sting, wait!" Lucy shouted out in horror, but her cries fell on deaf ears as she watched him raise his fists to Virgo. The spirit remained stoic and stationary as Sting delivered a series of blows to Virgo's abdomen before finishing with a White Dragon Uppercut. Both mages paused, watching every one of Virgo's slight motion. For a moment, Lucy allowed herself to believe Virgo was subdued with ease. It was hard to read the Maiden's facial expression when she was in the midst of a battle. It was a toss-up. Either Virgo was masking the urge to writhe in pain or, and this scared Lucy, Virgo was truly unbothered by Sting's barrage of punches.

The Maiden Spirit disappeared underneath the ground and sped towards us. I threw up my arms in a defensive manner while Sting's grin grew. Virgo uppercut Sting as she jumped out her hole. When he went soaring, the gorilla woman grabbed Sting by the leg and seismic tossed him back to the ground. Sting brushed himself off as Virgo towered over him. "You're one hell of a punching bag, but you're gonna have to do better ya wanna beat me."

Sting first joined the open palms of his hands together, with all of his fingers on one hand in contact with the corresponding ones on the other hand, and then separates his palms while keeping the fingers in contact through their tips. Light is generated in the hollow part between his hands, expanding from the holes between Sting's fingers. The White Dragonslayer slowly opens the palm of his hands, unleashing a swarm of white curved lights onto Virgo.

The Maiden allowed the magic to flow through her. The earth underneath us trembled. Virgo commanded the ground to form a fortress as a defensive act, but Sting's Holy Ray tore through the rocky exterior and created a thick cloud of smoke around the battleground. Sting charged into the smoke cloud with his fist glowing a bright light. Using his dragonslayer senses, he continued to widen the damage gap between him and Virgo. Lucy flinched as she heard the Maiden's first scream of pain.

'NO, VIRGO!' Lucy felt the world around her turn in slow motion as her body forced her into the in the dust cloud. In the center, Lucy found Sting attacking Virgo from every angle as he circled around the spirit. Every punch left the Maiden gritting her teeth in pain. "Sting, stop. You're taking this too far!"

"Seriously, you're saying this now?! All of times?!" Sting shouted as he turned to face his female partner. Virgo seized the opportunity and slammed her fist into the side Sting skull, sending him flying into Lucy as a result. The duo crashed through some of the trees in Shirotsume Forest before skidding to halt. Lucy winced in pain, but she soon realized Sting had taken the bulk of Virgo's punch when she noticed the dragonslayer sleeping against her body.

'What have I done...'

* * *

**July 10th x 777**

**Shirotsume Forest**

**5:30 PM**

"Ugh," Sting groaned as he slowly regains consciousness. The moment the White Dragon tried to sit up, he felt a surge of pain coursing through his body. Lucy quietly watched, before deciding to lean him again a nearby tree. "Shit, what happened with Virgo?"

Lucy physically winced when she thought back to the recent events. Against her better judgment and logic, Lucy risked her life to defend the Maiden spirit, the one that did not even belong to her. The entire mission would have ended had Virgo killed her, or at the very least become stalled.

When Sting realized his partner had adopted a vow of silence, he began to think back to the little he could recall from the battle with that gorilla woman. In the beginning, everything was going fine. Sting remembering knocking that maid around with his badass combos, and everything was running smoothly. He'll admit. Virgo was sturdy and one hell of a punching bag. Nevertheless, he remembers having that Celestial Spirit on the ropes until...until...until. "Why did your dumbass jump in?!"

"I'm sorry, okay!"

"Sorry doesn't cut it! I got my shit rocked because your dumb ass wanted to jump in a fight you had no business being in!"

"It was instinctual! I had to protect Virgo. I couldn't just watch her get bruised and beaten!"

"Wh- Are you being serious right now?! The future as we know is at stake and you're worried about a spirit being injury?! Fuck off!"

"I'm sorry that Celestial beings have feelings and can be hurt! I'm sorry that's such an inconvenience to you!"

"That's not the problem, and you know it!" Sting snarled.

Rolling her eyes, Lucy, then, glared back the man. "Pray, Sting, what is the problem?"

"That you can't separate the Virgo you had from this year's Virgo!" He snapped. "None of them are who you remember! They're all fourteen years behind us, and you need to remember that! They're not gonna throw any fucking punches, and you need to fucking cement that in your head! Or else, we'll never make any progress during this mission! Do you understand? Because I'm not about to get my ass beat every time you wanna save one of them! They are not the friends you know! They are strangers until we grab their keys! After that, I don't give a flying fuck what you do with them. Have a picnic for all I care! I don't give a fuck!"

"Sting..."

The White Dragonslayer sighed disheartened. He knew this was an issue he and Lucy had to confront before they got too deep into the mission. "No, Lucy, no, I am not gonna get hurt again just because you wanna hold onto memories that haven't even been made yet!" The dragonslayer was aware Lucy wasn't intentionally trying to harm him. The girl was a Fairy after all. They practically live off of friendship and rainbows, to the where it was almost sickening to watch sometime. "You're the one who is gonna fight those spirits, starting with Virgo."

"...You're right. I shouldn't have put you in danger like that, and I'm sorry for my actions." She lowers her head slightly to avoid Sting's gaze. "Fairy Tail is all about protecting and working alongside your friends, and I haven't done either of those today. I got so caught up with my memories of Virgo that I jeopardize the entire mission. I'll handle the rest of this part of the mission."

"So what? You're gonna storm the place without knowing where the hell the damn spirit is?" He folded his arms with a hint of disbelief in his voice. "Virgo didn't exactly leave a paper trail."

"Well, here's the thing." Lucy scratched her left cheek as she chuckled nervously. "I thought Shirotsume Town sounded familiar ever since Crux mentioned it, and it wasn't until I saw Virgo that I pieced everything together. This town is home to the first official mission Natsu and I did together for a real client. We were sent to the Duke of Everlue's mansion to destroy a specific book. During the mission, I realized Virgo was working for the Duke."

"So what you're saying is that we just need to 'convince' him to hand over Virgo?"

"It won't be easy, but that's what we have to do if we want the Maiden's key." Lucy sighed as she mentally prepared herself for this battle. Standing up from the ground, Lucy unhooked Capricorn's key from her belt. "Open! Gate of the Goat! Capricorn!"

"How may I be of service?" Capricorn shimmered into the existence with his over his heart.

"Can you take Sting into the town and find him a place to rest? I'll handle the Duke of Everlue alone." Lucy asked before she walked away from the shocked duo.

"Wait! LUCY!"

As much as she hates to admit this, Sting had a point. Virgo and the Duke were opponents she needed to fight alone.

* * *

**July 10th x777**

**Everlue's Mansion**

**7:30 PM**

Lucy arrived at the mansion a little after dusk had finally come. The ebony-haired woman stood alone as she stared down the mansion's door. This was the first step towards a new level of independence. Although she would need to pull off the performance of a lifetime, Lucy knew she will claim Virgo's key by the end of the day. Besides, she had plenty of dirt on Everlue. That _Daybreak_ incident was a huge bargain chip for her...all she needed to do is get alone with Everlue.

Lucy knocked on the door as loud as she possibly to alert one of Everlue's maids. A moment passed before the Maiden Spirit answered.

"What business do you have with those who reside?" Virgo narrowed her eyes with suspicion in her voice.

"I want to apologize for me and my partner's action a few hours ago." Lucy took a respectful bow. "It was not our intent to disrupt the residents of the area. May I speak with the Duke? I wish to give him a proper apology."

"No, Master is far too busy for the likes of you, an ugly woman no less."

'Says the gorilla, but somehow I'm the ugly one,' is not what Lucy said. Instead, she restrained herself from jeopardizing the mission. "I understand, but I only need a moment of the Duke's time. I promise it will be worth his time."

"If you do not leave this property now, I will be left with options but to use force."

Okay, Virgo. I'm sorry, but I need to get my hands on Everlue. I gotta play my Ace in the hole. "Hey, I completely understand. I mean if you don't throw me out, your master might punish you."

"Punish..." Virgo bit her lip with anticipation.

"Knowing the Duke, his punishments are probably horrendous and outright cruel. I understand why you would want to avoid such a torturous experience." Lucy shrugged indifferently before turning her back to the maiden. She continued to wave goodbye to Virgo as she walked down the road. "I'll be on my way. I want to say that I am sorry again."

"With this handled, Master will have no reason to punish me...unless I punish myself..." Virgo let out a small moan as her cheeks turned crimson red with excitement. The spirit noticed how far her visitor had made it and simply left a crack in the door. Glancing around the now empty grand entrance room, Virgo smiled devilishly before returning to the Celestial World.

Lucy circled the mansion one time before returning to the front entrance. Slipping through the gap left by Virgo, Lucy surveyed the area and assessed the situation. Virgo was out of the picture for the moment, so that really only left the maids as Everlue's last line of defense. Even if they attacked her as a group, Lucy didn't think they'll be much of an issue.

"Alright Lucy, it's time to end this." She said in a low tone as she climbed the stairs to the second floor.

* * *

**A/N: I think it's important to face this problem early.**

**Keys Obtained: **Cancer, Aquarius, Capricorn, and Crux

**Keys Needed: **Leo, Aries, Virgo, Taurus, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Gemini, Libra, and Pisces


	9. A Celestial Face-Off!

**July 10th x777**

**Shirotsume Town**

**7:30 PM**

Per Lucy's request, Capricorn relocated Sting to a hotel room for the remainder of the quest for Virgo's key. Albeit the dragonslayer was rather difficult to subdue once they arrived at the hotel, the spirit managed fairly well. After all, Sting's wounds limited the amount of resistance he could up against Capricorn's grip. The spirit settled down at the coffee table once Sting was tucked into one of the hotel beds.

"This is bullshit! When I said fight Virgo and that bastard, I DIDN'T MEAN FIGHT THEM ALONE!" Sting screamed as he threw a pillow against the wall. Capricorn so simply sighed before returning the pillow to the bed. The White Dragonslayer shot a sharp glare at the spirit before accepting the item. "Why the hell are you still here? You're just wasting Lucy's magic and taking up space."

"I understand your anger, but there is no reason for you to lash out on those who are around you." The spirit glanced in his direction before returning to the poem in front of him. "I, for one, am here on my own accord. I am maintaining my gate. Until my service is required, I will continue to watch over you."

"Why?! Why aren't you worried?! Virgo wrecked us in the forest, and you're okay with Lucy fighting that monster and Everlue alone?"

"Having faith often means doing what others see as crazy," Capricorn recited to a confused Sting. "Lucy Heartfilia is no longer a damsel in distress, but someone who is growing into an independent woman. Will she stumble and fall? I expect that much, but I know Miss Lucy will always get back on her feet."

Sting scoffed at the spirit. Yeah, Lucy has some new tricks, but her skills weren't good enough just yet."You have a lot of faith in a girl who has yet to win a fight today,"

"And you have no trust in her," The spirit sighed before closing his poetry book. Capricorn slowly made his way over to Sting's bed with a pair of the magic cuff in his hand. In one swift motion, he cuffed Sting's wrist. "However, I believe witnessing Miss Lucy in action will change that. Come now."

"Disobeying your master, huh? Where are we going now?" Sting raised an eyebrow.

"Everlue's mansion."

* * *

**July 10th x777**

**Everlue's Mansion**

**8:00 PM**

For an affluent politician, Everlue's mansion had the same formulaic layout as when Lucy first broke in. She figured he would remodel at least once or twice, but this only made her job easier. Did Lucy feel guilt for breaking into an unsuspecting house? Of course, this is illegal, and she could very well be sent to jail if her plan fails. And, the whole plan hinges on Everlue not call her bluff.

'No, I can handle this. I don't need anyone holding my hand!' Lucy thought to herself before entering his study. The bookcases gonna the wall were filled to the brim books and novels found across Fiore. The room had a single desk and chair sitting in the center. Those cherished memories of Lucy's first mission with Natsu and Happy came flooding into Lucy's mind. The satisfying rush went through her when she revealed the truth behind Zekua Melon's final masterpiece _DayBreak_.

She began to comb through the shelves in hopes of finding the infamous novel. If she remembers correctly, Zeuka was commissioned by the Duke of Everlue to write of a heroic tale about Everlue as the main character. When he rightfully declined the offer, the politician used the Melon's family and their citizenship as leverage against Zekua and forced him to write in prison until the novel was complete. Logically speaking, Lucy figured the novel was finished long before the year x777, so the Duke must have added it to his collection by now. Everlue was unaware of the true meaning for _DayBreak_, so there's no reason to keep it hidden. By adding it to his public collection, he can grab about having the final commissioned piece by the one and only Kemu Zalson before his untimely death. Among Zeuka's other masterpieces, Lucy found the key to her success untouched by the dust of time. 'That's weird. There's no dust on the book's spine. Does that mean Everlue is regularly reading this piece?'

"It doesn't matter in the end." Lucy signed as she exited the study with the book in her hand.

"And what exactly do you think you're doing? Sneaking around and trespassing and what this- burglary?!" The Duke of Everlue smirked as he leaned against the door frame. Everlue was still the same short, plump man with skinny arms and legs Lucy met years ago. He wore a formal black suit, with his jacket fastened with a large gold button and adorned with a decorative red flower attached to the upper right pocket. Beneath his jacket is a white collared shirt, a blue necktie, and dark blue boots. The only noticeable difference was the amount of hair he had. Everlue's hair naturally came down a little bit passed his ears. "Ugly girls must have it hard these days if you're resorting to breaking into my house of all places."

"Ah the Duke, the man I wanted to see. I have an offer for you." She smiled and resisted the urge to smack Everlue with her backhand.

"Let me get this straight. You break into my home, sneak pass my head maid, and raid my study for my commissioned book, and you expect me to listen to anything that comes out of your dirty mouth?" The plump man rolled his eyes.

"Because I know the real truth behind the novel _DayBreak_!"

"What are you going on about? Zeuka and I had a fair and legally binding agreement when I asked him to write this novel." Everlue exclaimed. "Besides, I read that book a thousand times over. It's not his best work, in my humble opinion, but _Daybreak _is his final work of literature. So, there's some value to it."

Lucy smirked as she tapped the edge of the book on her chin. "Really? I don't Zeuka would say it was fair when you threatened to have his entire family's citizenship revoked!"

"Wh-What? There's no proof of that ever happening!"

"It's all right here in black and white," She showed off the cover of the book once again. "There's also proof of you throwing him in an underground cell to write in solitude as punishment when he first rejected your offer. For three years, you had him separated from his family while writing this novel! Now-"

"That may very well be the case. However, you won't live to tell the tale!" Everlue spun Virgo's key in the tip of his ring finger before grabbing it. "_Open! Gate of the Maiden! Virgo!_"

In a flash of light, the gorilla maiden appeared at Everlue's side. She had a light blush sketched across her face. "What does my master need from me?"

"Virgo! Get rid of this nuisance! Quick!" He snapped. "And whatever you do, don't damage that book!"

"As you wish, Master Everlue." Virgo's eyes flash blood red as I gripped the book tightly against my chest.

"You're not the only one who can call for help!" I whipped out two keys. "_Open! Gate of the Crab! Cancer! And Star Dress: Aquarius Form!"_

_"_What kind of hairstyle do you want, Ebi?" Cancer snipped the air twice as Lucy transformed into her adaptation of Aquarius.

"Please read the situation, Cancer," She let out a disappointed sigh before making the first move. "Take out the plump man! I'll handle Virgo!"

"A Celestial Wizard, huh? I think I'll add your keys to my collection!" Everlue proclaimed as he used his Diver magic to dodge Cancer's strike. "Go, Virgo!"

The Maiden spirit nodded once before speeding toward Lucy. Virgo threw a left hook at her, to which forced Lucy to jump down the stairs to avoid. The black-haired girl gritted her teeth as she narrowly dodges another one of Virgo's onslaughts. The dents in the walls struck fear into Lucy's heart. One wrong move or an accidental trip could be Lucy's downfall. From the corner of her eyes, Lucy could see Everlue narrowly dodging Cancer's scissors with his Diver magic. Cancer was relentless with quick and nimble maneuvers.

Lucy snapped her Fleuve d'étoiles whip against the ground, causing a rippling effect to the foundation of the mansion. Virgo buckled at the sudden loss of balance and stumbled down to her knees. The spirit shot a dirty glare at Lucy before digging a tunnel underground. Virgo circled the girl, creating a trench in the process. With nowhere to run, the Celestial Wizard used her whip to reach the chandelier hanging above her. However, her Fleuve d'étoiles liquidized the chain holding the decoration together.

Lucy managed to avoid most of the shattering glass, but when Virgo erupted from the ground, the glass was scattered across the lobby. The jet black-haired girl commanded the earth to circle her opponent. Lucy flinched, hesitating for a moment as the memories flooded her mind once again. The fond memories of battling alongside Virgo and the silly banter forced her to consider what she is about to do. 'No, this isn't Virgo you know. This is Everlue's Virgo. If you win this fight, you can form even more good memories with Virgo. All it takes is two attacks.' Hardening her resolve, Lucy encased Virgo in a makeshift tomb once the ground solidified. "I'm sorry, Virgo, but this is for the best! Cancer, lead Everlue over to me!"

Encasing herself in a water barrier, Lucy sank down on her knees. She concentrated her magic into one point while keeping her eyes closed. Taking a sharp breath and extending her arms outward, Lucy began to recite an ancient spell.

_Survey the Heavens, Open the Heavens..._

_All the stars, far and wide..._

_Show me thy appearance..._

_With such shine._

_Oh, Tetrabiblos..._

_I am the ruler of the stars..._

_Aspect becomes complete..._

_Open thy malevolent gate._

_Oh, 88 Star of best the heaven..._

_Shine!_

_Second Origin Release! Urano Metria!_

Magic danced around the Celestial Wizard as the 88 constellations beckoned to her side. Spheres of different sizes appeared as they surrounded Lucy. The room was lit with light pastel colors. Upon reciting the final lines, the power of stars barraged Virgo as the spirit screamed out in agonizing pain. Cancer caught Everlue off-guard and threw him into the direction of Lucy's attack. The attack left Virgo incapacitated and retreating to the Celestial World while Everlue barely mustered the strength to sit upward.

Cancer smiled softly as he silently praised Lucy for a job well done. The crab knew Lucy was a kind and gentle soul who would hesitate when faced with the choice to harm a spirit. When she first summoned him, Cancer expected her to command him to fight his fellow spirit, but Everlue was a nice change of pace. Plus, the crab desperately wanted to snip that comb-over off and expose Everlue's balding spot, but you can't get everything you want. Noticing his presence was no longer needed, Cancer forced his gate close and left Lucy to deal with the aftermath.

"Now, as I was saying," Lucy huffed as she threateningly held her whip. "Hand over Virgo's key. If you do, I won't tell anyone about the content of this novel or your illegal transactions with the black market and dark guilds. How does that sound?"

"Ho-How do you know so much, who tipped you off? Harakuma? Enoshima? Juno?" Everlue stammered out as he held out the Maiden's key.

"A girl gotta have her secret," Lucy winked as she took the golden key. As promised, Lucy placed _Daybreak _on the floor. "It's a pleasure doing business with you, Everlue."

* * *

**July 10th x777**

**8:30 PM**

**Everlue's Mansion**

"Wh- How the fuck did she do that?! She beat both of them at once?!" Sting exclaimed loudly. Capricorn quietly smirked as they watch the battle finish. The Goat spirit managed to sneak the two of them onto the balcony of the mansion where they had a fairly decent view of the lobby and the brawl. Aside from the incident with the chandelier, Capricorn was impressed with how Lucy handled herself in her first fight alone. "Did this seriously just happen? Say something, dammit!"

"What is there to say? Miss Lucy is capable of handling herself in a fight when left alone. She is no longer a damsel in distress." The golden spirit stated as they witness the Celestial Wizard exit the house. "With the proper training, I presume, she will become an excellent sparring partner for you. But first, isn't there something you must say to Miss Lucy."

"Er...right. Can you help me down?" He waved his cuffed wrists. "I sorta don't want to fall with my hand with this."

"Of course," Capricorn tossed the dragonslayer over his shoulder before jumping down two stories. The Goat landed a yard from his master and startling her in the process.

"Capricorn! Sting!" Lucy screamed and threw up her arms in a defensive manner due to their unexpected appearance. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be in the town!"

"I understand. That was a direct order from you, however, I believed Sting deserved a chance to witness you handle yourself in a fair fight." Capricorn placed her hand over his heart. "Aside from the incident with the chandelier, I can say with complete honesty you were quite impressive. It was the right choice to give you access to our Star Dress."

"Er...Cap's right." Sting said while fidgetting with the cuffs on his wrist. "That was kinda awesome. I mean you blasted the hell out of that dude and Virgo."

The dragonslayer's eyes lit up with excitement as he bounced in place. "Oh yeah! What was that move you used? It was like the one from the Grand Magic Games, but it worked! When did you manage to get it to work!"

"Um, you mean Urano Metria? ...I mastered it a while before the game." Lucy scratched the back of her head as she dismissed her Star Dress. "It's just that someone from Raven Tail erased my magic right before I could complete the spell. Um...It's nice that you two came to support me, but why is Sting handcuffed?"

"I placed those on him because I did not want him interfering with this battle in particular. They're magic nullifying handcuff." Capricorn confessed before removing the restrains from Sting. "For now, I would highly suggest settling for the night. Today has been an adventurous day and a successful one at best. However, it has been very taxing for Lucy since you opened three gates and maintained the Star Dress form twice today."

"Yeah, Cap has a point. That's a lot of magic usage in one day...Or at least, I think. I never really understood the whole sensing magic thing." Sting shrugged as he rubbed his wrists. "Come on, let's head back to the hotel. I'll show you the way back."

"You're right...Yeah, let's get some rest." Lucy smiled as she held Virgo's key close to her chest. She carried the Maiden close to her for the entire walk to the hotel.

* * *

**A/N: I have one problem with the whole Fairy tail timeline. So, Lucy was born in the year x767 and the official timeline on the Fairy Tail Wiki says that the same year Zoldo (the man who controlled Capricorn's body and became a part of a major dark guild) became one with Capricorn. Which makes no sense for two reasons. One, Layla used Capricorn's key in the year x777 to open the gate, and she was forced to substitute Aquaruis with her life force. Two, in Aquaruis flashback during the final arc, we see Zoldeo stabbing Grammi right after Layla's death which happens in the year x777. So, Zoldeo can't perform the taboo spell in the year x767 because we saw what happens when he separates from his host. Logically, it would have to land at the very least the year x778. Then again, it's either a typo or I'm overlooking something again lol.**

**Keys Obtained: **Cancer, Aquarius, Capricorn, Crux, and Virgo

**Keys Needed: **Leo, Aries, Taurus, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Gemini, Libra, and Pisces


	10. Diners, Drive-ins, and Death!

**Lucy=Rebecca; Sting=Weiss**

* * *

**July 21st x777**

**11:15 AM**

**Margaret City**

After collecting Virgo's key at Everlue's mansion, the duo traveled west of Shirotsume Town to Margaret City, the home of the famous Lamia Scale guild. The city was also known for its revolutionary fashion trends and the river that divided the city in half. The bridges built and the boats were the only way to cross between the sides. According to Crux, Taurus, the Golden Bull, could be found somewhere in the city.

Sting groaned out of pure boredom. Lucy had them walking around the city since the fifteen, and it was more pointless with every passing second in Sting's eyes. "We've been at this for damn near a week, and we're not even close to finding that stupid bull."

"This mission was never supposed to _be _easy. We got lucky with Virgo and the others, seeing how we were handed three of them right off the bat." Lucy sighed. "I knew how to handle Everlue, so Virgo didn't take that much time. However, we can't expect all of the keys to fall into our laps."

"But, can't Crux be more specific?!"

"Sadly, he can't. Only Loke and the king can reveal a spirit's exact location. Crux doesn't know what city or town Loke might be in, so there's no way of knowing where Loke might be, right now." Lucy glanced through a passing shop window. "Grandpa Crux can tell us the general area."

"Well, what about the king? Where's his key?"

Lucy paused. Was there a way to summon him? She understood that any spirit could be summoned, but Lucy never heard of the Celestial Spirit King being summoned? Aside from the incident with Loke, Lucy never managed to summon that bearded man again. Then, there was the issue of knowing if Lucy could even sustain his gate long enough to learn the other zodiac's locations.

"I'm not entirely sure. I accidentally brought him to our world once in my early days of Fairy Tail when I wanted to overturn Loke's verdict." She tapped her chin while thinking. "I would have to ask Virgo when we get back to the inn."

"Well, you wanna give up for the day and get some grub? I'm starving!" Sting rubbed his stomach for emphasis.

"It's only a little bit before 11:30. Besides, you were eating when I woke up." Lucy folded her arms across her ample chest. "We're not stopping for food."

"Oh god, you're sick!" Sting gripped his chest dramatically. "You want to starve a _dragonslayer_?! What would Natsu say?"

"He would probably walk into the nearest restaurant," Lucy groaned at the thought of Natsu's bottomless stomach. The black-haired woman raised her head to look at Sting but found him entering a small shop on the corner of the street. She let out a heavy sigh before following her partner into the restaurant. "Mavis, please give me the strength not to strangle this man."

From the inside, the coffee shop was kinda cramped. Aside from the six bar stools against the rectangular bar table, there were only three tables. Each table had two chairs in the aisle and a booth. The booth for the tables ran against the back wall while the gals in between the table left enough space for anyone to slide in the cushioned booth. The table farthest from the entrance and closest to the unisex bathroom had a reservation note placed on it. Lucy slid into the booth of the middle table when she found Sting placing a lengthy order to the only working waitress.

"You and Natsu are too much alike." She rested her head on the table once the waitress left the table.

"Cheer up, it's my treat." He patted Lucy on the shoulder. "After we get a bite, we can go back to our search. Taurus is still in the city, and we'll find him."

That bull might be a pervert, but he's one of my heavy hitters. Taurus can charge through practically anything if he's not distracted by some hot girl. Honesty, he was easier to handle him than that lion of her's at to times. Taurus couldn't open his gate, but Loke leaves the Celestial Spirit World on his own accord more times than Lucy could count. "I guess...I just wanted to get Taurus as soon as possible."

Sting opened his mouth to speak but stayed quiet when the restaurant door swung open. A blond bushy hair young man entered with a silver duffle bag. He wore a light brown jacket with a fuzzy collar and khaki pants. "Huh? They still haven't arrived?!"

"Oh, you mean the people from Lamia University? I think they were apart of some theater program." The male waiter paused to think about the reservation. "We reserved a table as they asked, but no one has arrived."

"Geez, to think they would be late to Yukiko's birthday," The blond man groaned loudly before he sat his duffle bag in the reserved booth. "Well if, they do arrive, please tell them to start without me... My stomach's been killing ever since this morning, so I might be in the bathroom for a while."

"I wonder if he's okay." Lucy murmured the man in question closed the bathroom door.

"He'll be fine. I'm the one you should be worried about." The White Dragonslayer groaned loudly. "I'm starving."

"A dragonslayer's stomach knows no bounds..." Lucy sweatdropped as the cafe's door opened again.

A duo consisting of one young woman and a man who couldn't be older than twenty-one.

The woman was a slim brown haired wearing a slightly faded red A-Line skirt and a matching sleeveless V-neck tank top. She was carrying a small clutch purse in her left hand.

The man to her left was the tallest of the group. He kept his brown hair faded up to his ear and kept the top uniform, except for a single swirl. This young man wore a black short sleeve shirt that was tucked into his dark blue jeans. The tall man carried a laptop bag in his left hand.

"Huh? Where the hell are Heiji and Souchi?" The brown-haired man looked around the cafe and realized his friends had not arrived yet. "Are we the first ones here?"

"Ah-h no, Souchi arrived a few moments ago, but he's in the bathroom at the moment," The female waitress stated warily whilst pointing to the restroom.

"That's right. He did look kind of pale earlier when I came by his apartment," The young lady recalled.

"Well, while the boyfriend is away, I get Yukiko to myself," He wrapped his arm the girl's waist and pulled her close.

"Yusaku, I'm telling you, just in case, that is a secret. I don't want Souchi to find out just yet."

Lucy groaned quietly while Sting wrinkled his nose in discomfort. They knew this wasn't any of their business, but Lucy's heart still went out to this Souchi guy.

"Who knows," Yusaku developed a devilish grin. "Once the rum starts following, I might let it slip."

"Well, too bad for you, this fine restaurant doesn't sell alcohol!" Yukiko exclaimed loudly as she pushed him to the reserved table. The girl slid into the booth and sat close to Souchi's duffle bag. Yusaku sat down across from his friend in the wooden chair. "I wonder where Heiji is though. I thought he would be the first to arrive. He's usually punctual."

"Knowing Heiji, he's trying to make video lacrima for ya...to confess his love to you." Yusaku leaned in with a smirk. "It's pretty obvious that he got a crush on ya."

"He-Heiji? Haha, you can't be serious! Heiji is just protective. Souchi the same way." She waved him off followed by a light chuckle. "They've been like this ever since high school."

Yusaku rested his head on his left hand. "Yuki, you can't be this oblivious. Heiji glares daggers every time I get close to you."

"Th-That's because you're such a tease, and you always try to flirt with me." She stammered out. "Besides, that's just his 'Hey-don't-mess-with-my-female-friend' face. Well, you and I are just childhood friends playing around."

"It's not _just, _isn't it?" He smirked before stroking his chin. "Well, it will be out soon, anyway."

"What?"

"Nothing, just that my childhood friend Yuki and I are-"

"Are what?" A heavyset male with an ebony black buzzcut approached Yusaku from behind. He glared a fearsome stare at the couple. This young man wore a pair of light brown cargo pants and a black long sleeve shirt. He gripped his carefully wrapped gift in his right hand.

"He-Heiji!" Yukiko exclaimed in shock.

"Yo-You're late." Yusaku stammered out before clearing his throat. "We thought you would be the first arrive. What held ya up?"

"I took a wrong turn. Before I knew it, I was on the other side of the city." Heiji answered with a hint of embarrassment in his voice. "Huh? Where's Souchi? His bag is here, but I don't see him."

Yukiko answered as Heiji sat in the chair next to Yusaku. "Souchi's stomach has been upset since this morning."

"You took the wrong turn? We've been here a million times when we were doing that play last year." Yusaku shook his head in disappointment.

"A play? Wait, you all are in college, right?" Lucy asked.

"That's right. Lamia University allows mages like us to use magic to enhance the production of any performance." Yukiko answered with a small smile. "Are you interested in attending our school?"

"Ah-h no, we're mages, but we are kinda on a journey. I'm Rebecca, and I used Celestial Magic. " Lucy stammered before letting out a small chuckle. She glanced over to Sting who was on his fifth plate. "Er...This is Weiss. He uses Light Magic and a little bit of Werewolf magic, but I guess that's sorta obvious."

"Werewolf magic?" She blinked twice.

"Ye-Yeah, he tried to buy this shady lacrima, so he could um transform into a werewolf." She lied. "Turns out the lacrima was defected and only gave him enhanced senses and an appetite."

Sting gave a brief wave before devouring the baked hen in from of him. "Sup,"

"Shit, he's packing that food away like a champ," Yusaku snickered. "I'm Yusaku Momota. We all use Rune Magic, but I dabble in a bit of Transformation Magic."

"Rune Magic?" Lucy raised an eyebrow. "What are the odds of you all knowing the same magic?"

"Oh no, it's not a coincidence. We have to know how to use rune magic for the majority of our classes." Yukiko corrected her. "I do practice some Celestial Magic, but I only have a couple of Silver keys. How many do you have?"

Lucy recalled before taking a sip of her drink. "So far, I have four Golden keys and one Silver keys,"

"Fo-Four?!" Heiji's eyes widened. "Wow, that's impressive. I'm Heiji, by the way, and I use Chill Magic."

"Wow, your group has a diverse set of magic."

"Yeah, Souchi even as far as learning Requip Magic." Yukiko's eyes sparkled with excitement. "It came in handy when we needed to set up a cafe like this."

"That's right. You all are in theatre. This cafe was the setting for one of your plays?" She asked.

"Oh yeah, we all practically know the layout like the back our hands," Yusaku joked. "That reminds me. I got a video to show ya, Yukiko. Rebecca, you're more than welcome to sneak a peak."

Lucy shook her head as she slid away from the trio. "I'm sorry. I can't look at something that personal."

Yusaku shrugged his shoulders and turned to the waitress, "Do you mind if I plug in my laptop? The battery died right after I finished my project."

"Of course, sir." She smiled before taking the stack of plates from Sting.

"Wai-Wait, shouldn't we wait for Souchi? He's still in the bathroom." Yukiko asked as she glanced at the bathroom.

"It will be fine. I'll replay the video when he comes out," Yusaku reassured his childhood friend before plugging his charger into the socket.

The lights snapped off at that moment and the room became pitch black. Lucy heard two high pitched screams followed by the sound of glass shattering. The Celestial Spirit Mage unhooked a Virgo's key and tried to the summoning light as a makeshift flashlight. She could feel her magic passing through the key, but nothing seemed to happen. She groaned to herself as another person left out a painful scream. Lucy felt a liquid splash onto her face as the scent of iron filled the room.

"Okay, what the fuck is going on?!" Sting snapped as I heard his fist bang against the table. "Why do I smell blood?"

"Bl-Blood?" Yukiko stammered out. "Wh-What happened?"

"Can someone please turn on the lights?!"

"Ri-Right, I know where the breaker is." The waiter said while moving to the breaker. The sound of plates crunching underneath his footsteps. "Please, no one move until the-"

The lights flickered to life and illuminated the scene. Lucy turned to face Sting, who had a splash of blood on his cheek. Yukiko and the waitress screamed again as Heiji pointed to the ground near him. Lucy froze once she realized Yusaku collapsed onto the flood with blood spilling out a hole in his back. Inches from the bleeding man, Lucy noticed the large cutting knife with the bloody tip and the golden key soaking in the pool of blood.

Yukiko rushed to Yusaku's side, but Lucy held her back. "What are you doing? We can't touch him! This is a crime scene!"

"Bu-But Yusaku," She choked on her words as Souchi left the bathroom.

"What's with all the screaming- Holy shit!" Souchi stumbled back into the restroom. "Yusaku!"

"Urgh..." Yusaku groaned softly.

"Looks like attempted murder, at the moment," Sting leaned over the body before picking up the golden key. "Huh? That's a new design. Hey Rebecca,"

"Wiess! What did I just tell Yukiko?!" Lucy snapped at him.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, but isn't this the key for Taurus? Why is it soaking in this dude's blood?"

"I don't know! Call the police!"

Heiji stepped over the broken glass near the body and reached the telephone lacrima. "I'm already ahead of you,"

* * *

**Keys Obtained: **Cancer, Aquarius, Capricorn, Crux, and Virgo

**Keys Needed: **Leo, Aries, Taurus, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Gemini, Libra, and Pisces

**A/N: Can you guess that I'm been binge-watching Detective Conan?**


	11. The Blood between Family and Friends!

**July 21st x777**

**12:30 PM**

**Margaret City**

Once the ambulance and first responders took Yusaku to the nearest hospital, a detective appeared to get an understanding of the situation. Sting had placed Taurus's key in the blood of the victim's blood. Detective Saisuke had us take our original seats while the two workers placed at the bar. Yukiko still appeared to be shaken by the whole ordeal, but Souchi tried his best to comfort his girlfriend.

"Well, this should've been straightforward," The detective sighed as he eyed the everyone who witnessed the crime. "Whoever stabbed him should be covered in some blood, but the two people who barely know the victim was splattered with blood. Why?"

"You think one of us did it?!" Sting raised an eyebrow.

"...No, you shouldn't have a motive...Unless you knew the victim." Detective Saisuke eyed us.

"I don't think that's possible. We all introduced ourselves, and Yusaku didn't seem to know either of them." Heiji interjected.

Lucy stood up from the table. The whole situation reeked of premeditation. She knew that crime could only be committed by one of Yusaku's three friends. The waiter was busy finding the breaker, and the waitress was hiding in the corner which left Souchi, Yukiko, and Heiji. Each one had a motive and a chance to strike. No, Souchi exited the bathroom after the power turn back on.

"Which leaves you three as the potential attackers!" The detective deducted. "How did the attacker avoid the blood splatter? Wiess and Rebecca's table was caught in the crossfire so that only solidify their alibi."

"Since we can't answer that question, what if we focus on how the crime was committed?" Lucy suggested before turning to the trio. "Did Yusaku have any enemies or any trouble in the past?"

"Yeah, he had a lot of enemies. Yusaku frequently got into trouble since he tends to hit on people's girlfriends." Souchi mentioned before nudging Yukiko's shoulder. "He even tried to flirt with my Yuki."

"It's not like that! We're childhood friends," Yukiko pleaded. "I told you it's a joke!"

"So, that means each of them had a motive?" Sting folded his arms. "Like, I think Heiji had the best position to stab Yusaku since they were sitting right next to each other."

"Which leads us to the same unanswered question," Lucy groaned. "Can't you sniff out the culprit and make this easy on everyone?"

Sting shot her an unimpressed stare before yawning into his hand. "Can't, we all reek of blood. I can't distinguish between the attacker and someone who was on the side. With Yukiko and the waitress screaming, I couldn't hear much. I'm just blind as the rest of ya."

"Interesting, then I would like to review the likelihood of our three suspects committing the crime." Detective Saisuke eyed each of them carefully before stopping on Souchi. "You were in the bathroom the entire time, correct?"

"Well yeah, I had an upset stomach all morning. Think I had some bad fish last night or something." He patted his stomach.

"Which means you also had the chance to wash the blood off!" He declared.

"Ho-Hold on, Souchi arrived first, so he couldn't have known where Yusaku was gonna sit!" Yukiko quickly countered. "I came with Yusaku at the same time, and we sat across from each other. Heiji came last and was forced to sit in the chair closest to the bathroom since Souchi's bag and I sat in the booth."

"Besides Detective Saisuke, the restroom has a window peephole, but it's made of frosted glass." The waitress explained. "Even if Mr. Souchi peeked through the whole, there's no way he could see anything. It is possible to hear a muffled version of their conversation, but I doubt he could use the sound to location."

"With Souchi occupied in the bathroom, there's no chance for the culprit to wash the blood off," Lucy concluded with a heavy sigh. "Which means the culprit managed to stay clear of the blood without washing anything off."

"I'm telling ya. It gotta be Heiji." Sting stated firmly. "Yusaku had his back to Heiji when the room went dark, that's the perfect position for him to strike."

"HOLD ON, you can't pin this one on me!" He retorted.

"Heiji is right. Out of everyone here, Heiji is wearing the least amount of clothes, so it would be hard to conceal such a large weapon when he was only carrying his gift for Yukiko." The detective refuted Sting's claim. "After searching through everyone's belongings, there was nothing suspicious or out of place. Each of the guys wrapped their gift with different wrapping paper."

"But, there was something in Wiess's statement I want to focus on. Why did the room go dark when it's noon outside?" Yukiko eyed the group. "Could it be someone's runes?"

Lucy removed a key from her holder and examined it carefully. "Probably...I tried to summon Virgo, but something was preventing me from finishing the spell,"

"So, it wasn't just me?" Sting exclaimed. "I thought something was wrong with me. You know me being a Light Mage and all, but I couldn't shine a light during the whole blackout."

"That...actually makes sense." The waiter paused to think. "The lights turned on before I could check the breaker, so the runes might have been interfering with the lacrima underneath the cafe."

"Then, the runes were on a timer, canceled out any magic, and prevented any light from entering the cafe." The detective concluded. "According to everyone's records, that means any of the college students could've set up the runes."

"Hmm? How was the crime committed, and where did Taurus come from?" Lucy pondered. There must be a trick to how this could've been executed. Yusaku couldn't have stabbed himself. With a knife that large, the death should have been instant. Yet, the knife only had an inch or two of blood on it.

"Princess, if I may interject." Virgo appeared next to Lucy and whispered in her ear. "Instead of searching for what happened, I suggest searching for what did not happen."

"What kind of cryptic message is that?" Lucy backed away with a confused expression on her face. "There are already several things that did not happen. Wait-"

"What? Did you figure something out?" Sting stuffed his hands into his pockets as he leaned against the wall.

"Yes, and I think I know how the crime was committed," Lucy turned to stare at the potential attackers. "There's only one person who could've committed such a specific crime."

"Really?! Well, spill it, woman!"

"First, I need some glass plates, a roll of toilet paper, and a packet of blood."

* * *

**July 21st, x777**

**1:30 PM**

**Margaret City**

In Lucy's recreation of the scene, she had Yukiko, Heiji, and Souchi sitting at the bar. The waitress acted as Lucy. Detective Saisuke stayed in the bathroom, the same way Souchi did. The waiter sat in Sting's chair which was close to the restroom. Sting acted as the waiter while Virgo carried a stack of dishes similar to the ones the waitress had. Lucy, herself, played the victim and had a blood pack taped to her back. To each of her participants, Lucy gave them, individually, a special act to perform when the moment called for it.

"To begin, we need to focus on the moment, the light went out," Lucy turned to the laptop in Yusaku's bag. "Now, we know Yusaku's laptop did not cause a temporary blackout. Someone used it as an excuse to use runes to momentarily cut all the magic flowing through the cafe, including the magic of everyone inside. Shocked by the sudden power loss, both the waitress and Yukiko both screamed. Immediately after that, we all heard the waitress drop Wiess's finished plates."

"Kyahhhhh," Virgo monotony screamed as she purposefully dropped the plates onto the floor.

The waitress warily eyed the maiden before playing her minor secondary role of Yukiko. "AHHHHH!"

"Now, this is where the killer struck but not before Yusaku made his move," Lucy dug around the bag for a moment before pulling out Taurus's key. "I theorized that Yuksaku found the Golden Bull's key at some point and wanted to give him to Yukiko as a gift since she's a Celestial Spirit Mage, and Taurus would be her first golden key. However, when the lights went out, Yusaku tried to use the light from summoning a spirit as a guide, but the runes canceled out his spell. Thus, when he fell to the ground, Taurus's key landed in the pool of blood."

"It makes sense." Heiji shrugged. "I know I didn't bring that key, and Souchi didn't have a chance to drop it."

"But, that doesn't explain how Yusaku got stabbed, just what he was doing beforehand." Sting rolled his eyes.

"I'm getting to that. Anyways, while each of Yusaku's friends had a motive, only one of them could have committed such a crime." Lucy shouted her declaration while pointing directly at the culprit. "AND YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE, SOUCHI!"

"Wh-What? You're kidding, right?" He stammered out as all eyes fell on him. "It's like the waiter said. I couldn't have committed the crime. There's no way for me to know where Yusaku would sit."

Lucy smirked as she knew he would try to hide behind that excuse. "What if I said it's possible? In fact, you anticipated where Yusaku would sit."

"That's not possible! Souchi never saw where Yusaku and I sat down," Yukiko countered with a developing tear in her left eye.

"But, he knew his girlfriend would naturally sit next to him. Therefore, there are only two spots where Yusaku could sit!"

"Then, you're suggesting that he relied on luck? Come on, that's a bit of a stretch." Sting raised a brow.

Virgo turned to the group with a frost glass plate in her hand and roll of tape. Wordless, the maiden began placing strips of tape onto the glass. Handing the frosted glass off the hesitant four, the maiden began to explain "But, it is not a stretch for this to occur. Normally, when one looks through frost glass, it is impossible to see anything on the other side of the glass. It is because the scratches on the glass will make light passing through scatters. However, when the tape covers the scratches, the person can see through the glass."

"Bu-But where would I even find a piece of tape that can work with a peephole that small?" He countered.

"Yukiko's gift," Sting realized. "That detective said all the gifts were wrapped in wrapping paper, so you did have scotch tape at some point. Being a Requip mage as well, you could easily hide tape with that brand of spatial magic."

"That's right. Since the four of you performed in a similar setting, it's not unusual for a floorplan to be documented," Lucy suggested. "The cafe's layout is simple, so you can practice all you want in the comfort of your home."

"Excellent deduction Princess," Virgo nodded in approval. "According to the Princess's recreation, Mr. Yusaku had his back to Mr. Heiji as well as the bathroom. Is this correct?"

"Yes, Mr. Yusaku had his back to them since the plug was running in between the gaps of the tables." The waitress answered. "But, how did Mr. Souchi avoid the blood splatter? Even Mr. Wiess and Ms. Rebecca couldn't avoid it."

The detective exited the bathroom with his left sleeve rolled up since his arm was heavily wrapped in toilet paper. He wielded a plastic knife that had the toilet paper roll wrapped around it. "Ahh, it's all coming together."

"I'm ready, Detective Saisuke," Lucy smirked as she saw the horror in Souchi's eyes grow.

The detective stabbed into the blood packet whilst firmly holding the paper roll against Lucy's back. Quickly taking the blade, we all noticed how the paper roll absorbed most of the blood, but some of the excesses splattered away from Yusaku's table and onto Sting's original table. Letting out a deep sigh, Detective Saisuke glared at the culprit. "That's the truth behind this crime, isn't it? Did Ms. Rebecca get anything wrong?"

"Ho-How? What tipped you off?" He crumbled onto the floor as he stares aimlessly at the ground.

"Easy, it's like Virgo said. Look for what didn't happen." Lucy answered as she removed the bloody mess from her back. "When Yukiko first screamed, you didn't say anything, and then I thought about. Why didn't her boyfriend come rushing out of the bathroom as soon as possible? Why? It's because he didn't want to give away his position. If Souchi said something, we all would have noticed how close he truly was to Yusaku, and the victim might have shifted his position due to this. Once I had that figured out, I began to build my case around that."

"I see...Yuki, the girl I loved and wanted to protect was ultimately my downfall...I deserved it."

"Protect me? I told you countless times that we're just childhood friend, nothing more nothing less!" She tearfully explained. "Why didn't you believe me?!"

"Childhood friends my ass! Something is going on between you two," He snapped with hatred burning in his eyes. "He's probably some ex, and you're still sleeping with him, aren't you?"

"Gross dude," Sting cringed at the thought. "That's just disgusting."

"I can't believe how much of a hypocrite you are, Weiss." Lucy sweatdropped. "This is coming from another player."

"Yeah, I know I'm a player, but at least I never accused my girl of fucking her brother!" He growled while pointing at Souchi. "God, incest is weird!"

...

...

... What?

"Bro-Brother?!" Lucy and Heiji shouted in horror.

"Ho-How did you know that?!" Yukiko stepped out as she gasped. "We never met before today, so there's no way you-"

"Did you all seriously forget I have enhanced senses?! You and Yusaku smell damn near the same, so of course, I knew y'all were related somehow!" Sting dramatically rolled his eyes. "Besides, it's rare for two left-handed people to be as close as you are, so there's that."

"N-No, that can't be right." Souchi clutched the side of his head.

Heiji made his way through the chaos to Yukiko. "Why did hide this from us? I thought we were friends."

"We are, and Yusaku and I thought you two deserved to know. That's why Yusaku went through the trouble of putting that announcement in my birthday video." She rubbed her arm. "My mother was his father's mistress. When we were children, I thought nothing of it, but I realized how big of a secret it truly was. Yusaku's mother has a weak heart, so we all knew the secret could kill her. So, Yusaku and I hid our family connection from the world, and we kept the secret between everyone who was originally involved."

"Geez, haven't you heard of sitting down and talking with the dude?" Sting glared at the selfish man.

"Wiess, once again, you are the last person who can say that." Lucy shook her head. "You think charging into a fight is the answer to everything!"

"And, with that the case is closed," The detective frowned as he dumped the wasted paper into the toilet. "A senseless incident comes to an end. The only thing left to do is decide what happens with the golden key."

"That's right. Yusaku never signed a contract with the bull," Heiji recalled. "It was meant for Yukiko as a gift."

"I want Rebecca to have it. After all, none of this would have been resolved without her." Yukiko stated as she offered the bull to the Celestial Wizard. "Here, something tells me you need Taurus more than me."

"Th-Thank you. I'll treasure this exchange for the rest of my life." Lucy bowed repeatedly. Yukiko smiled as she waved goodbye with Heiji by her side. Shortly after their departure, Sting and Lucy made their exit, leaving Detective Saisuke and the staff to handle the hollow man known as Souchi. "That makes five! There's only seven left to collect!"

Sting smirked as they made their way back to their hotel room. "You're welcome, by the way,"

"What are you talking about? I earned this key on my own," Lucy held the key defensively against her chest.

"Yeah, but I'm the one who suggested taking a break at the cafe, in the first place." Sting shot back.

"You would have gone in there with or without me," She said with narrowed eyes. "If anything, I should be thanking Virgo. She's the one who gave me the hint."

"You're hard to satisfy. You know that, right?"

"Much like your appetite."

* * *

**Keys Obtained: **Cancer, Aquarius, Capricorn, Crux, Virgo, and Taurus

**Keys Needed: **Leo, Aries, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Gemini, Libra, and Pisces

**A/N: I figured I would take a break from the usual quest archetype and have a little diversity in how they collect the keys.**


	12. The Casino of Greed Part 1!

**August 14th, x777**

**The Casino in the Stratosphere**

**7:30 PM**

It has been almost a month since the case that gave them Taurus, and the trail went practically cold since them. They were aware of Aries and Libra's location since July 10th, but the tournament wouldn't begin for another 17 days. Following the second week of no new leads, Sting took it upon himself to start training again and use Lucy as a partner. She noticed an improvement in her combat abilities. Her movements felt more natural and fluent. She developed her rhythm and fight style. By no means had Lucy successfully defeated Sting, no, the Celestial mage found herself pinned the ground a multitude of times. Even with her range of spirits, Sting continuously managed to break through their defenses and secure the win. As for Loke and the other unknown lost keys, Crux had located Sagittarius.

Lucy and Sting stood in the fanciest clothes the Celestial World could offer. The Celestial Wizard wore a black ankle-length evening gown with an open back and a pair of three-inch wedges to match. She had a pair of black elbow-length gloves to cover her Fairy Tail mark. Sting was on her left sported a tight black dinner jacket with a white dress shirt a bow tie underneath. He slipped into a pair of polished black dress shoes that Capricorn had prepared for him.

The entrance to the casino was lit with neon lights. The casino was constructed like an observation tower, the bottom half of the structure acted as a place for gamblers to risks their money and potentially earning enough to retire early. The upper half was a hotel for the rich and famous. Stars across Fiore would regularly stay in this luxury hotel and gamble away their earnings. The observation station at the top was the highest point in the entire country, towering over every other building on the continent. Those who were lucky enough to befriend the owner were allowed to marvel at the once in a lifetime view.

"Are you ready for this?" Sting nudged Lucy's arm as they stood in awe.

"Of course!" She grinned while giving him a thumbs up. "I'm not called 'Lucky Lucy' for nothing."

The dragonslayer sweatdropped. "Just try not to destroy anything. Fairy Tail might be able to pay for damages, but we can't with the budget we have."

"I should be saying that to you." Lucy glared at the man out of the corner of her eyes. "I'm not the one who's a wannabe Natsu."

"Ha, Natsu wishes he could be me. Besides, I'm smart enough not to go into every situation fist ablaze like that idiot."

"Sting, you quite literally did that with Virgo, but go off I guess." She sighed before entering the casino.

"Whatever, just keep your guard up. This place doesn't smell right." Sting grunted as he followed closely behind his partner.

"Well the King himself got us a reservation for a room upstairs, so we gotta make a good first impression."

Lucy was immediately greeted with masked servants bowing before her as she was royalty. Trumpets and other instruments played in the background as a world-renown artist sang his heart out. The ground floor had several round tables with dealers organizing the games near the front entrance. In the middle, there was a platinum centerpiece that shined underneath the dim lights. Behind the centerpiece, she saw three aisles of slot machines and an elevator to the upper floors. The left and right walls were lined with liquor as the bartenders dished out drinks to those of age.

"Welcome esteemed guests to The Stratosphere!" The head of the Casino Hosts walked down the aisle of workers. He was an inch or two shorter than Sting, but his physique was extremely similar to Elfman and Laxus. His bronze-colored muscles were contradicted by the arms of his jacket. His blond hair was slicked back heavily with gel. He had a hint of cologne on his person Lucy noticed, nothing too overbearing but subtle enough for someone in close proximity to smell. "It is a pleasure to serve those close our fair king, Madame Rebecca and Sir Weiss."

"The pleasure is ours. We are blessed to have the opportunity to spend the weekend in your luxurious hotel and casino." Lucy replied with her own bow.

From there, Sting mentally checked out once Lucy and the Casino Host continued with their pleasantries. He wasn't big on the whole meaningless word exchange. The white dragonslayer surveyed the room. Once he tuned out the live music, the room was unsettlingly quiet. Everyone seems glued to the game in front of them, whether it was the poker table or the slot machine screen. Were they deadset on winning? Sting couldn't pick up any laughs between friends or subtle seductions. There were only murmurs that registered below a whisper. In a place this expensive, he would expect some business talk between tycoons.

"Wiess," Lucy snapped her finger in front of his face. "Let's get a look around. We should find where the prize counter is. Sagittarius's key should be there."

"I don't trust this place. It's triggering my senses too much." Sting grunts as he continued to eye the gamblers.

"Hmm? What do you mean?" She asked while they maneuvered through the crowd.

"No one is talking to each other. I can't hear anything besides this loud ass music." He stated. "Then, there's an assault of iron on my nose. This place smells like nothing but iron and alcohol. Why does it smell like iron in a high-end casino?"

"I don't know, but that is troubling. If something bad is happening behind the scenes, we gotta bring it to the light and put a stop to it." Lucy graces her hand over her Fairy Tail emblem. "But, how would it affect the future?"

"Ugh, I doubt investigating one casino will do much." Wiess rolled his eye. "Come on, let's kick some ass."

She rubbed her temple to soothe the headache developing. "Those are two very different things, Wiess. Besides, we have a relationship with King Fiore, so someone might be monitoring our movements. Both of us can't just disappear."

"Then, you stay in the casino while I sneak off." He tapped his chin. "If they're up to something, the ground floor won't show everything."

"We can't do that. We're easily recognizable unless..." Lucy froze when the idea popped into her head. An idea that had its own risk, but she had no reason to distrust Sting. Actually...he was the only one she could truly trust. "Here, I want you to take two of my keys as your backup. If something bad happens, I want you to call on them."

Lucy placed The Bull and The Crab's keys into Sting's hand and cupped her hands over his. "Taurus and Cancer might be my spirits, but they're your family now. I'll grant you temporary access to their powers, so I don't want you to worry about the small details."

"Wow..." Sting was stunned. He didn't think Lucy would ever part from her keys. After all, this is the same woman who damn near killed herself to save that Leo spirit, and she has proven, time and time again, that these spirits are important to her. This is coming from Lucy, one who sleeps with her keys underneath her pillow. And...Lucy willingly hands over two keys, one that even past down her family line, to the guy that laughed when Minerva tortured her. "Are you sure about this? I thought-"

"Don't think about it, just act. That's what your strong suit. right?" She showed off her signature optimistic smile. "Then, let's play our strong suits and see what really going on."

Our Celestial Wizard turned from Sting and into the crowd surrounding the poker table. A comforting smirk graced Sting's face as he made his way into the nearest bathroom.

* * *

**August 14th, x777**

**The Stratosphere's Ground Floor**

**8:45 PM**

Lucy studied the players quietly as the dealer dealt the cards. She wasn't concerned with who had what cards but rather the players. The game wasn't treated like a simple game. There was a noticeable lack of conversation between the contenders. Their attention was on the dealer except when they needed to check their hands. Their eyes were slightly glossy as they offered their respective bids. Was it charm magic or body restriction magic? She didn't have enough evidence to point to either, yet Lucy understood that magic was definitely involved.

"Would you like an appetizer?" The Casino Host appeared next to Lucy with a silver platter of an arrangement of miniature dishes. His gentle smile eased Lucy for a moment before she composed herself.

"Oh no thank you, Wiess and I ate before we came," She smiled apologetically. "Although, I didn't think a Casino Host, of all people, would be serving hors d'oeuvres."

"It is my job to ensure that every guest enjoys their experience. As friends of the king, Sir Weiss and you, Madame Rebecca, are our top priority," The Casino Host said with a humble undertone as he offered the food to the other nearby guests. "Speaking of Sir Weiss...where is he? I haven't seen him, recently."

"Oh, Weiss?" Lucy feinted innocence. "I haven't seen him in a while, actually. I know he went to the restroom a couple of minutes ago, but I haven't kept up with him since then."

He froze for a moment before tightening the strap on his gloves. "Interesting, but nothing unexpected. Sir Weiss appears to the type to move at his own pace. However, it breaks my heart that Sir Weiss would leave a woman like yourself alone."

"Weiss is his own person, and I can't control him," Lucy answered as she ignored whatever the Casino Host was implying. "But I must ask? How long do people usually stay here?"

"To their heart content,"

He's avoiding the question, but why? Is he suspicious of me? Or could there more to the casino's business than what I've seen? "Fair enough, I suppose that was a rather informal question. I'm sure you can't give that information out so readily."

"I assure you. I do not take any offense. You are not the first to ask such a question." The tall man comforted her. "Would you like a chance to play one of our many games? After all, it is all part of the gambling experience. I would offer a drink as well, but I'm not entirely sure you are of age."

"Oh, I rather watch for the moment. I don't know how to play any of these games just yet."

"Interesting, if you're not a gambler, what brings you to The Stratosphere? This establishment is made to be a gambler's fantasy come to life." The Casino Host asked with curiosity in his eyes.

"I heard through a rumor that there was a Golden Key that could be won here. I've always been interested in magic, so I thought to become a Celestial Mage." Lucy lied and was immediately overwhelmed with the magic energy radiating on the host.

"I don't mean to discourage you, Miss. Rebecca, but The Stratosphere doesn't have a prize exchange system. Guests can exchange their chips for jewels, that is all." He answered while offering the empty silver tray to a passing employee. "As to how you recovered that information, I'm sure my employers would love to know."

"Wait-" The Host gripped Lucy by her black locks, forcing her body to drag against the floor as they walked away from the poker table. No one batted an eye or turned their heads at the commotion. The Fairy Tail girl endured the pain as he flung her into the elevator. Lucy gritted her teeth as he shot her a dark smirk.

The Bulky man placed a card to a scanner which unlocked a secret panel of extra floors. 'This must be how they regulate who has access to what floors. Being a Casino Host, he must be in close contact with whoever's running the show,' Lucy thought. 'I'll play along for right now. I just hope things are working out for Sting.'

* * *

**August 14th, x777**

**The Stratosphere's Air Vents**

**8:30 PM**

Busting through the restroom's air vent is surprisingly easy when you know how to make a photoflash bomb Sting realized. Maneuvering through the tight-ass space was the hard part. His shoulders were scraping against the walls of the vents with every motion. Capricorn's spare suit was ruin by the sheer amount of dust Sting was collecting. With no real direct evidence aside from the overwhelming iron smell in the iron vent, the dragonslayer crawled towards the source of the odd scent.

"This better be more than some rusty slot machines," Sting grumbled as he passed another air vent grill. "I still can't believe Lucy honestly gave me two of her keys. What was she thinking?"

The idea of relying on someone outside of Rogue and Lector was still foreign to him. The idea of Lucy entrusting _two _Golden keys to the likes of him was outside of his realm of logic. What was there to gain from giving away two of your best fighters? She knew he was more than capable of protecting himself. Lucy, on the other, was improving with great strides, and Sting, though will never speak this, was impressed with her skills. But, that doesn't mean she good enough to willingly hinder herself.

"That just means I gotta finish on my ends fast," The dragonslayer peered through around vent grill and grinned at the sight. "There we fucking go."

Kicking in the air vent, Sting jumped out of the tight space. He landed on top of one of many iron cages. The decently-lit storage room had ten or so cages. Each iron cage was as tall as a door and as wide as a living room. The walls and some of the bars were splashed with faded red and reeked off spilled blood. The White Dragon peered through the bars of one of the cages and found two dozen people in rags. Each person wore bruises and welts on their bodies. Their eyes were dull and vacant of life, yet their bodies had a relaxed posture.

"Holy shit..." He jumped down and ripped the iron door off. No one reacted to the chance at escape. "What kind of trance is this?"

Sting glance inside and realized they all shared the same scent which is unheard. Every person should have their own personal smell, so how is this possible? Grunting in frustration, Sting continued to rip the cage doors off the remaining cages. The empty husk of people didn't move, but it was still seen as progress. Once this whole mess was over, they should leave on their own accords. "What the hell is wrong with this place?"

"Ahh, so this is where you ran off too?" A masculine voice called out from the other end of the storage. "You should've stayed in the casino, Sir. Wiess."

"Nah, that's too boring." The White Dragon shrugged with a smirk on his face. "Uncovering people in cages, that's more exciting and up my alley. So what is all this, a side deal with a dark guild? Human trafficking? Human practice dolls?"

"Now, why would I simply give you that information," The middle-aged man's voice mocked Sting from behind before fading away. The room became shrouded with a thick purple mist that floated above the ground. "That would be far too simple and straightforward. No, you already know too much, anymore...well I'll need more drastic measures."

"Ya know this whole scare tactic doesn't really work on me," Sting shrugged indifferently. He had seen the world end. This man's ghost act paled in comparison to that. "Now, if you wanna surrender, then I'm okay with that. From the whole illusion act, I don't think you're much of a challenge."

The bodiless voice let out a dry chuckle as a thick layer of mist covered the light bulbs hanging. "Such naivety. And to think, someone who managed to successfully hide their personal history would say something so idiotic. You do not have a choice in the matter nor chance at escaping. You and Rebecca were doomed the moment you two stepped foot into our casino!"

The White Dragonslayer clapped his hands together and revealed a bright pearl white sphere that was no bigger than a jawbreaker. He paused to take a deep breath of air and launched the sphere across the room. Once the ball came to a complete stop, Sting snapped his fingers and unleashed a blinding light onto the room. The man screamed in pain as his mist evaporated, revealing a man in his mid-to-late forties rolling on the floor who was clutching his tearful eyes.

The Sabertooth tiger did not attempt to hide his devilish as he confidently strolled over to the crippled man. "I was thinking about calling that 'Holy Light'. What do you think? Does it sound too corny?"

"AAAAHHH!" He shrieked out in pain.

Sting let out an annoyed sigh before knocking the businessman out. The dragonslayer tossed him over his shoulder and glanced around the room. "Hmm? They're still in that trance. Does that mean he's not the one controlling them? I guess there's more ass to kick. Maybe I'll find someone willing to give a straight answer."

* * *

**Keys Obtained: **Cancer, Aquarius, Capricorn, Crux, Virgo, and Taurus

**Keys Needed: **Leo, Aries, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Gemini, Libra, and Pisces

**A/N: I'm personally excited about the progress of Lucy and Sting's relationship. **


	13. The Casino of Greed Part 2!

**August 14th, x777**

**The Stratosphere's Presidental Suite**

**9:15 PM**

Lucy was roughly thrown in the presidential suite. The room was lit by the night light that shined through the glass walls. The suite was divided by a long black sheet that occasionally moved with a thud following. Lucy took a mental note of the freshly cleaned white couches and rugs. She glared at the blonde woman in the silk black dress who approached Lucy and the Casino Host.

"Excellent work, my little host." A woman who couldn't be a day passed thirty-five blew the Casino Host a kiss. From her attire and jewelry alone, her upper-class status was clear. She had a certain air to herself that read danger. Lucy glared at the woman with hatred in her eyes. "I can only imagine the damage this rat could've done had we left her to her devices. I commend your work, Shu."

"You won't get away with this. If we don't stop you, then one of the light guilds will." Lucy scowled as she fought against the iron handcuffs. She could break free with the right Star Dress, but this was a perfect chance to uncover the truth. "Everything done in the dark will always come to the light."

"An optimist, I see." The lady smirked as she gripped Lucy by the chin. "But the same can be said about you and Wiess. How is it possible for two people with no records could possibly have any connections to the King? Interestingly enough, when I had my men look into the two of you, almost nothing appeared. Face recognition mages had no information. No birth certificates. No guild record. No school records. The only reasonable conclusion one could reach is that Rebecca and Wiess do not exist. Now, who are you?"

"Why is a casino dabbling in trance magic? I think that's a better question." Lucy shot her a dirty look which earned the Celestial Wizard tighten restrictions.

"Foolish girl, that's not the only thing we're dabbling in." She replied with a devilish smirk before turning to a curtain that hid the other half of the room.

"Miss Kisa, I wo-" The Casino Host was quickly silenced by the horrible sight.

Half a dozen humans were stripped down to their undergarments and hung from the ceiling. Their eyes were dull and void of any signs of life as the blood dripped from the fresh wounds decorating their bodies. Lucy's eye shrunk as her body burned with a hellish fury once she recognized the back of the person harming innocent people. "Sagittarius?!"

"La-Lady Kisa, ple-please return me to the Spirit World." The Archer tearful pleaded as he lowered his bow. "Th-This is torture."

"You will continue until I am satisfied," She snapped. "Unless you wish for me to use force."

"N-No," He flinched before raising his bow and placing a shaking hand onto the arrow.

"You're making Sagittarius do this?! You're sick!" Lucy snarled. Every fiber in her being wanted to smash this lady through the ground and save Sag.

Lady Kisa rolled her eyes. "Oh please, it's a Celestial Being. They don't have feelings or free will. It was made to serve and nothing more."

"You're wrong! Sagittarius and every spirit have their own emotions and identity. This is abuse! Sagittarius is clearly in pain and you're forcing him to continue? This is wrong in every aspect!"

Lucy violently shook as she rose to her feet. She broke through the handcuff as she transformed into Taurus's Star Dress. She wore an outfit consisting of a bra and sleeves with a cow pattern and pants that revealed her entire left leg. Lucy wore a pair of gloves and boots as well as a belt and a bag around their waist.

Lucy stomped her feet as she marched over to the blonde woman. The Celestial Wizard threw a clean right hook at the stunned Kisa which was quickly intercepted by the Casino Host's left arm. The glass windows shattered from the impact made by the two of them. Lucy growled in frustration. "How can you defend someone so horrible?!"

"I must complete this job," He said monotony. His voice was void of compassion. "I will see this to the very end."

"Then, I'll just get through you with brute force," She frowned while calling upon Capricorn. Shining his key in air, Lucy released the Sea-Goat into the world. "Let's go Capricorn, we'll deal with him first then the mistress behind it all!"

"Understood," He pressed his shades upward before sprinting into battle. Lucy swung her leg at Shu's face, but the bulk man caught her with ease. The Casino Host slammed his fist into Lucy's stomach but was too slow to avoid Capricorn's strike to his center torso. The Casino Host loosened his grip on Lucy and stumbled back a little. She nodded to her spirit and began their attack.

Lucy parried Shu's punch to her face with her left arm. She returned with a right hook once an opening appeared. Capricorn followed up with a leg sweep causing the host to fall backward. Kisa's radiating anger sent a shiver down the host's spine and forced him back into his stance. Shu wiped the blood from his nose before charging at Capricorn. The spirit danced around the tanned man's punches.

The sound of arrows piercing human flesh resumed and a high pitch laugh now accompanied it. Lucy gritted her teeth in frustration once she realized Kisa had turned her back the fight. The Celestial Wizard knew a dense magic attack could cave in the floors and endanger the people in the casino, so she had to rely on physical attacks. For now, Capricorn needs help with the Casino Host. Lucy unhooked her whip from her waistband and cracked it lightly against the ground. She wrapped the whip around Shu's waist and used her upper body strength to lift him off the ground. "Take this!"

Lucy swung him around the room, destroying the furniture and glassware in the process and slammed Shu on top of the archer. "Sorry Sagittarius, but that should send you back. Alright, you're next Kisa!"

"Miss, I would approach with caution. Unlike Shu, I sense magic from this woman." Capricorn warned.

"You have quite the eye," Kisa praised the spirit, but her eyes never wandered from the motionless Shu. She took a knee and summoned a small ball of translucent pink water. "But if you want to reach me, you'll have to kill my lovely Casino Host."

"What?! Why would we-" Lucy felt the words get stuck in her throat when she witnessed Shu stagger back to his feet. His eyes were lifeless, and his breathing seemed to be completely hollow. "That's how you did it. You're the one behind trance magic!"

"Learn a bit of water magic on the side as well, and it's easy to mix the two. Slip in a drink or mix it in with a dish, the results are always the same." She shrugged with a devilish smirk. "However, it doesn't matter. You and Weiss will soon be my puppets as well."

"You'll have to beat me first," Lucy snapped her whip at Kisa. She, in turn, motioned Shu to intercept as her human shield.

The buff man didn't flinch as the whip smacked him in the face. Shu rushed the Celestial Wizard as his arms wildly swung around with no real pattern. Lucy threw her arms in a defensive manner as his punches hit various parts of her body. Capricorn tried to intercept and gain Shu's attention, but the tan man was unaffected by the Sea Goat's attacks.

"Let's make the playing field a little less fair," Kisa smirked as she summoned a torrent of pink water into the room. The flood of water swept Capricorn and Shu off their feet while Lucy switched to her _Star Dress: Aquaruis Form_ and surrounded herself with a thin veil of water. Once the sea of trance infected water thinned out, Lucy examined the soaked room. Capricorn and Shu staggered to their feet and turned their heads to her.

"Cap-Capricorn?" Lucy stuttered. Without a verbal response, the two men charged at her with an unparalleled amount of strength. The Celestial Wizard struggled to keep up her shield as the two recklessly attacked her. With one hand up defensively, Lucy pulled out a key from her holder. "I'm sorry! _Force Gate Closure_!"

The Sea-Goat pounding slowly came to a stop as his physical form disappeared the human world. Much like her fight with Sherry on Galuna Island, a Celestial Spirit can be sent back if she could force their gate close. The difference now is that Lucy had the strength to battle one-on-one. The Fairy Tail mage dispelled the protective bubble and blasted her opponent back. Without missing a beat, Lucy clapped her hands together. She summoned a ball of water that grew in between her hands. In this form, Lucy launched the ball of condensed water into Shu's chest which exploded on impact.

Shu skidded backward until his back hit the far wall. Lucy summoned a thin veil of water on the bottom of her shoes and skated to Kisa. The casino owner threw her arms up and summoned another flood of water. Lucy countered by surrounding her entire body in a mass of water and propelled herself into Kisa's stomach. The Fairy Tail mage found her footing once Kisa slammed into the back wall. In between her heavy breathing, Lucy flinched from exhaustion. "Please...Stay down."

Kisa growled as she glowed with a pink aura surrounding her body. The casino owner snapped her finger and forced Shu back into the fight. His body was already severely wounded, and he probably had several broken bones. Shu was in no condition to continue fighting. Any more damage and Lucy feared this man may die.

"What are you doing? He'll die at this rate! Just stop!" Lucy pleaded as she gripped her arm.

"Guys like him are a dime a dozen. He's replaceable." Kisa sneered. "Now, bring me her head."

"How am I suppose to stop him without killing the poor man?" She gritted her teeth. Urano Metria would do the job, but she couldn't guarantee that the floor would remain stable. Summoning spirit wasn't an option either, Kisa would only turn them against Lucy. "What if..."

Jumping back from Shu's oncoming punch, Lucy pulled another key out. "_Open! Gate of the Maiden! Virgo!"_

Right on cue, the loyal maiden appeared by her master's side. "How may I be of service?"

"Encase that man in your rocks and get away as fast as you can! Don't close your gate!" Lucy ordered.

With an understanding nod, the pink-haired maiden's eyes shined red. Using the rubble in the room, Virgo surrounding the man in a condensed ball of ruined furniture and stones. Thuds could be heard from inside the rocky ball, but there were no signs of him escaping. Furious, Kisa summoned another flood of water at Lucy and Virgo. The Celestial Being blinked twice before digging a tunnel to avoid the attack. Lucy threw her arms up and shrouded herself in a protective bubble.

Once the attack died down, the elevator door open revealing Taurus holding a tied up man and Sting. The bull seemed indifferent about carrying to men but became very interested in the Star Dress Lucy was wearing. His owner could only sigh at the sight of Taurus perverted notions. "Wiess, please close his gate."

"No problem," Sting jumped off the bull's shoulder and swiped the key in the air. The spirit disappeared and dropped the man onto Sting's shoulder. "Getting up here was a pain. The bull kept complaining about how he wanna hold a hot girl. Next time give me Capricorn or anyone else but him."

"I'm surprised you even use him," She joked. "I thought you're an independent wrecking machine."

"I didn't want motion sickness, so I made him carry me and this sad sack." Sting folded his arms across his chest. "Seriously, I was hoping for more of a fight, but you look like you've been through some shit."

"I have, but I did learn she's the one behind the trance magic. She used water magic and mixed it into the food and drinks." Lucy glared at Kisa. "I managed to subdue the Casino Host so that just leaves her. What about you? Did you find anything?"

"Yeah, they have cages of people hidden away. I'm talking about dozen of rooms filled with people who are out of it." Sting answered as he kicked the groaning man. "He's the co-owner of casino and an amateur at illusionary magic. The dude barely put up a fight. Did you find Sagittarius?"

"...I did. Apparently, this casino doesn't have a prize shop, so Sagittarius was being used for torture." Lucy rubbed her arm. "I managed to send him back to the Celestial World, but Kisa still has his key."

"Well, that makes this easy. Once we beat her ass, then this whole thing is over." Sting lit his fits and grinned at Lucy.

She smiled as relief washed over her. There was a sense of reassurance to having the dragonslayer by here her side. "Yeah, I'll protect you from her magic if you have my back."

"I- No, we won't give her the chance to fight back," Sting smirked at Lucy.

The co-owner of the casino growled in frustration. Kisa threw her arms and summon a crashing wave of tainted water. The rock that contains Shu got caught in the current and slammed against the wall. Lucy crossed her arms in front of her body and created a veil of liquid for protection. Behind the Celestial Wizard, the White Dragonslayer focused a concentration of magic on his fingertips. Strings of white magic dripped from his fingertips.

Lucy motioned her left arm upward while keeping her right hand forward for the water veil. She concentrated the power of Aquarius in the palm of her hand. The calming sound of the crashing waves soothed her as a round ball of purified water. Sting laced his hand with Lucy and mixed their magic together. Their magic aura flared as a new spell came into existence.

Lucy's sphere of purified water combined with Sting's White dragonslayer magic to form a cloudy ball of water. Launching the ball forward, the sphere tore through the waves of Kisa's magic with ease. Strings of dragonslayer magic shot out when the attack impacted the Kisa's stomach and forced a pained scream out of the women. The strings wrapped her body, restricting her movements and magic, and forced her to the ground. Lucy let out a sigh of relief and returned Virgo to the Celestial World. The rock tomb that encased Shu crumbled, leaving the man in a sleeping position.

"That's how we do it," Sting grinned their victory.

His companion smiled at him before picking up Sagittarius's key. The ordeal was over, and they freed the mind of the casino's patrons. Yet, there was one detail that still bothered Lucy.

* * *

**August 14th, x777**

**The Greed Casino of the Stratosphere**

**11:00 PM**

The magic council's rune knights quickly arrived once Lucy called to report the crimes committed by the Casino owners. Lucy and Sting helped the official with rescuing the individuals who were still trapped inside the cages and comforting them through the ordeal. Kisa and Hoggs, her partner in crime, were the first to be arrested. The staff members of the casino were called into question, and the rune knights would question each on their knowledge of the crimes committed. One of the first to be questioned was Shu, who played a role that was unique to him alone.

Once the rune knights were done with their first round of basic questions, Lucy approached the tan man while Sting consulted the Division Commander.

"How are you holding up?" Lucy asked with a small smile as she slid into the seat next to him.

"Why do you care? I almost killed you with little remorse." Shu grunted the formalities dropped from his tone. "Just leave me to rot. I'll be doing that soon enough."

"I don't think I will because I still think there's good in you. I know you had your own reasons for working underneath someone like Kisa."

"What do you know?" The muscular man folded his arms as he frowned at Lucy.

"Even though you knew all the horrible stuff they were doing, you stayed by them. You made the choice to stay, why?" Lucy turned to face him. "Kisa didn't use her magic on you until she needed someone to fight. Something else must've been a reason for you to work underneath them."

"...There's no point in hiding it." He let out a frustrated sigh while he rustled his hair. "It's my son, Sho. His mom died during childbirth, so it was just the two of us for the most part. A while back, my home village was raided by these cultists, and they kidnapped the children during the night. I was too weak, so I couldn't protect my son. It wasn't until Kisa approached me and offered to help me find Sho in exchange for being the Casino Host. I endured everything they have thrown my way, and I guess it all for nothing."

Lucy bit her lip as she hesitated at that moment. This was the father of one of Erza's friends from the Tower of Heaven. According to Erza and Milliana, Sho was the little brother Erza always wanted. Would it be wrong to tell this man what will happen to his son? It was clear to Lucy that this man cared deeply for his son. Hell, he signed a contract knowing the illegal activity for the chance to be reunited with Shu.

"Sir...I met your son on my travels, and I can assure you that Shu is will people who will protect him. I'm sorry, but that's all I can tell you." Lucy whispered a small apology. "Just know, he's happy."

"Hehe, you don't have to lie to make me feel better." Shu tilted his head down to hide his gaze.

Lucy opened her mouth to convince the man, but a familiar face approached with Sting in tow. Detective Saisuke motioned for the rune knight to take Shu into custody and left Lucy slightly unsatisfied. "Ahh, Miss. Rebecca, what are the odds of running into each other again? I didn't think you would get involved with another case."

"Detective Saisuke, it's nice to see you again." Lucy smiled. "We were going to spend some downtime here, but we somehow got caught up in this whole mess."

"At this rate, I might as well hire the two of you as mercenaries." The detective laughed to himself. "Seriously, my division has been working overtime trying to understand the missing person reports for the past month."

"I'm glad we could solve a couple of mysteries and help everyone out," She answered as she rose from the bench. "It's a pleasure, but we must be going. There's a tournament in Veilstone City we must attend."

"A tournament? Hmm, what's the prize?" The detective raised an eyebrow in interest.

"There's a couple of Golden Keys up for grabs, and I'm gathering as many as possible," Lucy admitted with a small laugh.

Saisuke smiled to himself as he tipped his fedora down. He shoved his hands into his pockets and began walking away. "Then, you should get a move on. If I hear anything about those Celestial Keys, I'll contact you. I'll be watching."

Unbeknownst to Lucy, Saisuke made a mental note of this incident. The Casino in the Stratosphere was extremely exclusive, so how did two rogue mages manage to gain legal entrance to such a place? After the attempted murder, he did look into Rebecca and Wiess with the intent to give them a proper thank you, but he found no record of either one ever existing. Saisuke found reports of Rebecca and Wiess staying in average hotels across Fiore, but they always made sure to pay in cash.

According to reports in regards to the diner incident, Weiss is said to use Werewolf and Light magic, but Saisuke always felt as if something was wrong with that man. Although the type of magic found across the world was forever growing, Wiess didn't remind him of a werewolf. No, Saisuke couldn't pinpoint it, but his magic reminded him of a far more dangerous and ferocious creature. But what?

Then, there was Rebecca. She had the composure of someone trained to be a lady, yet she chose to be a mage. Rebecca seemed to be focused on collecting those Celestial Keys. During the first case, Saisuke wrote Taurus's key off a gift but was that truly the case? This time around Rebecca found Sagittarius and uncovered Kisa and Hopp's human trafficking ring. To what lengths would she go to obtain all twelve, and what will happen when all twelve are gathered?

* * *

**Keys Obtained: **Cancer, Aquarius, Capricorn, Crux, Virgo, Taurus, Sagittarius

**Keys Needed: **Leo, Aries, Scorpio, Gemini, Libra, and Pisces

**A/N: **These chapters are getting longer and longer, and I'm not even bothered. Leave your comments in the reviews on where you think Sting and Lucy will go next after the tag team tournament.


	14. Clashing of Allies and Enemies!

**Weiss=Sting; Lucy=Rebecca**

* * *

**September 1st, x777**

**Veilstone City**

**10:45 AM**

Lucy found her meditating on top of her hotel bed. Capricorn had urged her to complete some last-minute training before the double team tournament began. The Goat spirit had recommended the same to Sting, but the dragonslayer declined with a remark about his restless nature. Lucy agreed. Besides Wendy, Laxus, and possibly Rogue, she couldn't see them sitting for long. Then again, Levy mentioned something about Gajeel sitting under a waterfall.

The Stellar Mage slowed her heart rate with each soothing breath until she reached a pleasant level to focus her concentration. Her magic power flowed around her. With each inhale, Lucy's magic became peaceful, and each exhale led to a small release in power. Her thoughts began to pass through her mind, and Lucy allowed her mind to wander to the thoughts she tends to force in the back of her mind. The memories of friends' death flooded her consciousness. The petrifying scream Lisanna let out when Elfman was clawed to death as he protected Mira's massacred body. The deafening pleads Romeo shouted out to everyone to save his unresponsive father. The despair in Levy's eyes when Gajeel threw himself in front of the Script Wizard. Wendy's blood-stained body as she held a cold Carla. Juvia's tears when the dragon effortlessly broke through Gray's Iced Shell spell. She needed to face these memories in order to grow. Lucy wanted to save her friends from this fate with her own two hands. This mission required her to be stronger than how is she now.

This Celestial Wizard wanted to make things right and make her guild proud. She won't rely on Sting to fight all the battles, no they will be equals.

"Princess, the tournament will begin at noon." Virgo poofed on the right-hand side of the bed with two outfits in her hands. "I took the liberty of bringing matching clothes for you and Master Sting."

"Thank you, Virgo," Lucy smiled softly at the maiden. "I always loved the Celestial World's wardrobe, but please, you don't need to refer to Sting as Master. He's your equal."

"Princess, he requested that I call him Master or 'Your Sexiness'," Virgo answered innocently before handing off a pair of dark purple elbow-length gloves and a dress resembling the one she wore during the fight against the dragons. "I believe this will fit you very nicely."

Lucy felt her right eye twitch in aggravation. That is the last time she allows that damn dragonslayer to use Virgo for anything! "Oh really, well...I'll have a word with him. Don't worry about calling him either of those titles."

"Very well Princess, I wish you luck in your battles today." Virgo bowed once again before excusing herself.

* * *

**September 1st, x777**

**Veilstone Stadium's Battleground**

**12:00 PM**

Lucy and Sting themselves waiting in a hallway that led to the center field. The blacked haired girl managed to get him dressed without strangling him the purple tie Virgo had left for the dragonslayer. It took almost all of her strength not to jump him when he returned from his morning run.

The stadium was more modern than one used for the Grand Magic Games. It was built in a hexagonal dome with a glassless roof, so the sun was shining down on the battlegrounds. From Lucy's viewpoint, the center monitor was comprised of three screens, one large hexagonal in the center and two smaller hexagonal screens, one on each side. There appeared to be three levels of seating with the bottom level surrounding the entrances to center. The rooms for the competitors were located on the highest level with a bird's eye view. There were floating stepping platforms to the battleground that appeared to be maintained by some lacrimas.

**_"Welcome Fiorians to the 77th annual Veilstone Tournament!" _**The announcer's voice boomed through the stadium. The sold-out stadium roared with applause. **_"Let's not waste any time and introduce our sixteen participants! Starting with the rising stars of the Rune Knights: Cosmos and Kamika!"_**

Lucy's eyes widened when she recognized the two women as the two female Garou Knights. The long and messy pink-haired teenager and the slick black-haired woman wore a matching a long, high-collared, sleeveless dark robe over light and long shirt with wide sleeves and a pair of baggy pants, the customary attire for a rune knight. Cosmos was enjoying the crowds' attention while Kamika seemed to be more reserved with the small smile she gave the audience.

**_"Welcome our two mysterious wandering travelers: Wiess and Rebecca!"_**

She trailed closely to Sting as he raised his fist in the air. The dragonslayer let out a mightly vocal roar that startled a few of our competitors. Lucy knew he was more comfortable with the spotlight than her, so she was more than ready to leave it all for him. Given their situation, this was the first time in a long all eyes were on them.

**_"From the legendary Blue Pegasus guild: Karen Lilica and Ichiya Kotobuki!"_**

Oh dammit, Lucy groaned to herself as they found a space on the edge to stand. Why was Karen of all people here? She shouldn't be able to compete since she was only a Celestial Wizard. In order to participate, Lucy and Sting had to prove they had a functioning magic skill. Unless...no. "Does Karen have a key already?"

"Got any ideas on which one it is?"

"No, but I'm kinda scared as to who it is." She whispered lowly as Karen shot Lucy a smirk. "There are only four options, and we might be in trouble with any of those spirits."

**"****_Give a rowdy round of cheers for Detective Saisuke and Detective Kiriyo!"_**

The level headed man kept his hands in his pocket as he and his partner entered the arena. Detective Kiriyo was a slim woman with long purple hair. She wore a black trenchcoat that matched Saisuke's jacket. Underneath her coat, Lucy noted a white collared dress shirt and a tight pencil skirt. The male detective tipped his hat in their direction before standing on the opposite end of the battleground.

"Detective Saisuke knows magic?!" Sting whispered in Lucy's ear.

"I sensed some magic from him, but I never thought he would enter a tournament like this," Lucy answered as she tried to understand why he would join. "Whatever his reason is, we can't that distract us from our goal."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Get Aries and Libra."

**_"Will the adventure ever end for this guild? Ladies and Gents, I present Fairy Tail's shining stars: Freed Justine and Evergreen!_**

Lucy blinked twice when she saw Freed and Evergreen fly out of the hall. They couldn't be any older than maybe thirteen, fourteen was pushing it. Wait, how old are they in x791 if they're teenagers now? Counting the seven-year skip, that would put them somewhere around their twenties, maybe early twenties. Weird, Lucy always thought Freed was older than her or Bickslow. She made a mental note to keep an eye on those two since neither of them ever had an interest in Celestial Magic before. Could it be for Bickslow?

"There's a lot of familiar faces today, huh?" The dragonslayer grinned.

"Well, given the participants so far, we have our work cut out for us," Lucy sighed lowly. "All we have to do is win three battles, and we'll have two more keys in our possession."

"The big question is which asses do we gotta kick." Sting's magic flickered with anticipation.

**_"Veilstone's renowned martial mages have graced us with their presence. Allow me to present: Luka and Rilo!"_**

A man with slick back hair and a short-haired woman appeared from the southern entrance. The pink-haired woman had a frame similar to Erza's while Luka was more of Loke's frame but slightly more muscular. They wore matching blue and black gi. Rilo and Luka seemed to be reserve people since they didn't react to the crowds. The martial artists shared a smile with their competitors, and Lucy, Sting, Saisuke, Ichiya, and Evergreen spared them a returning smile.

**_"In the darkest hour, the guild Tartarus will arise! Give Nyx and Thanatos a round of applause!"_**

The crowd waited for them to walk through the gate, but there was a long pause. Suddenly, the ground quaked underneath their feet as a large shadow consumed the battlefield. Lucy hovered her hand over her side pouch, ready to summon Sagittarius or Virgo to her aid. Sting put her at ease by assuring her that he noted no immediate danger. Two deathly skinny figures arose from the shadow. Although Lucy didn't note any evil intent from the figures, she was worried about their health. Their clothes were hanging off the duo, and their faces had a ghostly complexion. Lucy had a hard time deducting which one was Nyx and which one was Thanatos.

"What the hell is Tartarus? I never even heard of that guild." Sting raised an eyebrow.

"Could it be the same one aligned with Grimoire Heart and the Oración Seis? But, why would they expose themselves in a tournament like this? They'll be arrested onsight." Lucy folded her arms across her chest.

**_"Tremble at the might of not one but two S-Class Wizards from Fiore's strongest guild, Titanium: Loki and Serpent!_**

A thick mist seeped out the entrance for this duo. Through the fog, Lucy managed to make out two distinct figures, one tall slender male and an average-sized hooded woman. The slim man had fiery red hair that almost seemed to flicker as he walked. Loki wore a long black cape with a dazzling red jewel his collar, a pair of extremely baggy pants and a sleeveless top that matched his hair. Serpent was the personification of sex appeal. Her fluffy blond hair with purple tips came down to her shoulder blades. Her ample chest poured out of her amethyst dress. She moved with the confidence of a goddess and loved the attention the men gave her. Although Lucy had never heard of this guild before, the crowd erupted louder than ever before. The Celestial Wizard turned her head to her companion for his opinion.

Unsurprisingly, Sting had the same damn ready-to-throw-down-any-second grin as Natsu plastered on his face.

**_"Alright, with everyone accounting for, let's remind everyone what's this year's prizes are!" _**The lacrima screens showed off Aries and Libra's dazzling keys with a large sum of jewels stacked behind the keys. **_"Thanks to an anonymous donation, we are proud to present two rare Golden Celestial keys. One key on its own can leave a person living large for the right price, but two?! The only limit is your imagination. Let's see quarterfinal's matchup!"_**

**_Freed and Evergreen v. Karen and Ichiya_**

**_Rebecca and Weiss v. Cosmos and Kamika_**

**_Loki and Serpent v. Saisuke and Kiriyo_**

**_Luka and Rilo v. Nyx and Thanatos_**

"So, we're facing the executioners first?" Lucy asked herself the sixteen wizards read the main screen.

* * *

**September 1st, x777**

**Veilstone Penthouse**

**12:45 PM**

Six of the eight duos were led to a spacious room, big enough to accompany the group. There was a glass window with a metal railing that allowed them to see the battleground from the third floor. On Lucy's right, she noticed a full bar and a few clothed tables scattered around the room. A few servants entered through the side doors with carts of gourmet dishes.

Lucy left Sting to eat alone at their table since Karen's battle had her attention. If she could participate here, then someone must've signed a contract with her. But who? And how many? Could she possess the remaining four? Either way, Lucy would have to eventually fight Karen for her keys.

"Rebecca was it?" She turned her head to the voice and found Luka with his hand extended out.

Reading the situation, Lucy accepted his hand with a small smile. "Oh Luka, did you need something?"

"Nothing more than a simple conversation," The martial artist let out a chuckle before he leaned on the metal railing and studying the battle. "You have a very interesting aura, you know that right?"

"Aura?"

"Yeah, I use aura magic, so I'm able to sense the energy around me. " Luka answered as the Fairies and Pegasuses entered the battlefield. "I never met someone who had more than one aura at a time, though."

Lucy blinked twice before she realized what he was referring to. "Oh, that! I'm a Celestial Wizard; I think you're caught the aura of my spirits by mistake."

"Then, I guess you're in for the keys and not the jackpot."

"Jewels would be nice, but my eyes are on a different prize," Lucy replied as she focused on Karen's movements.

Ichiya had taken the vanguard position and inhaled what Lucy assumed was an earlier version of his muscle enhancement perfume. Freed did not wield his usual sword, instead, he held a small dagger in his left hand. Evergreen flew high above her opponent as she summoned a barrage of light bombs. Karen smirked to herself as she revealed a golden key.

"_I call upon thee! Open! Gate of the Scorpion! Scorpio!"_

Scorpio appeared with his usual wicked grin as he folding his middle and ring fingers back while keeping his index and little fingers extended, ready to take on his foes. He was a relatively tall dark-skinned man who had a weaponized tail-cannon attached to his tailbone. The Scorpion was wearing, as always, no shirt but had a flower-shaped collar that is red and trimmed with gold around his neck. Scorpio had a red sheet-like material around his waist that is kept up by his large belt that has the Scorpio symbol on it, and he wore black shorts and has bandage-like material wrapped around his arms and legs.

"And with Karen's spirits and the prizes, that makes nine keys," Detective Saisuke and Kiriyo appeared on Lucy's right. "It's nice to meet you again, Rebecca."

"Detective Saisuke, I never thought you would join something like this?" She said as she shook his hand and introduced herself to Kiriyo. "Are you investigating something?"

"Oh, do you two have some history?" Luka raised an eyebrow while he eyed them.

The detective let out a hearty laugh. "Nothing too extreme, she lent a hand in a few of my cases. Rebecca is stronger than she leads on. After all, she took down a whole human trafficking operation with Wiess."

"That was nothing special really. We didn't go in expecting to stumble onto any of that," Lucy flustered at the compliment.

"You should be proud of it, nevertheless." Saisuke chuckled as we watched the battle rage on. From the looks of it, Ichiya had Freed on the run since the Pegasus left craters in his path. "But, to answer your question, I am investigating. There have been reports of light guilds receiving illegal items."

"Illegal in what way? Like contraband?" Luka frowned.

"Specifically, magic enhancing drugs," Kiriyo spoke up in a soft tone. "Our superior wants us to determine if any of the participating guilds have any traces of enhancements."

Lucy held her comment to herself. It was obvious to her that Fairy Tail and Blue Pegasus were clean. Makarov would never allow any of his children to come into contact with banned items, and Blue Pegasus wouldn't last if a scandal such as this existed. That only left Tartarus and Titanium as potential suspects.

"I'll do what I can to help." She replied with Luka nodding in agreement. The detectives tipped their hats us as they excused themselves.

Rebecca and Luka watched the remainder of the match in silence. Ichiya had finally caught Freed by the boot and slammed him into the ground. With a powerful scream, the S-Class wizard pinned his opponent to the ground and successfully incapacitated the Fairy Tail wizard.

Upon seeing this, Evergreen went into a fury. Skillfully dodging Scorpio's _Sandbuster_, she sent a barge of _Leprechaun Bomb at_ the Celestial Wizard. Karen gritted her teeth in frustration and summoned Scorpio directly in front of her to intercept the attack. The scream Scorpio let out caused Lucy great heartache. To hear about Karen's abusive nature was one thing, but to watch it live, that was whole another experience. Lucy could nothing at the moment, but she promised herself one thing.

She will save Scorpio.

The battle raged on as Ichiya lent Scorpio a hand. Using their combined strength, Ichiya rode the scorpion's sand tomb and collided with Evergreen in the air. The manly man's fist of fury took down the elegant Fairy with ease, and with that, the first battle of the round was complete.

**_"Ladies and gentlemen! The Fairies fought hard, but Blue Pegasus's Ichiya and Karen came out on top! Up next is Wiess and Rebecca versus Cosmos and Kamika!"_**

"Good luck," Luka said as I stretched my arms. "Those two girls are extremely dangerous. I heard rumors of them executing those who go against the king's wishes."

Lucy had back her urge to sweatdrop. Those rumors are probably true given what their future career is. "Thanks, Luka! I'll try to finish this quickly. Dragging out a fight in the first round won't do us any good when the battles are back to back."

"I'll be cheering you on!"

* * *

**Keys Obtained: **Cancer, Aquarius, Capricorn, Crux, Virgo, Taurus, Sagittarius

**Keys Needed: **Leo, Aries, Scorpio, Gemini, Libra, and Pisces

A/N: I'm sorry that this is coming out much later than usual. I wanted to complete this subarc before I released any parts, but I didn't want to leave y'all hanging for an entire month. I believe I went through at least five Norse Gods before I settled on Loki and Serpent. I'm almost done with this arc, so there shouldn't be too many hiccups.

ALSO! IMPORTANT!

Leave a review about your thoughts on Quatro Puppy in the games. Positive or negative? How do you feel about their role in the Grand Magic Games.


	15. Execution: Begin!

**September 1st, x777**

**Veilstone Stadium's Battleground**

**1:00 PM**

Lucy and Sting found themselves alone on the battlefield with Cosmos and Kamika, two future and infamous executors. The audiences' cheers were directed to the Rune Knights, so it was clear who the crowd thought would win.

"How does it feel to have the crowd against to for once," Lucy joked.

"It's different for sure, but I bet it feels right at home for you," Sting playfully jabbed back. "When we get back, I'm winning the Grand Magic Games for my guild. I hope you still remember that."

"I do, but I won't let that happen. After all, my guild deserves the title."

_**"Let the second battle commence!"**_

"Let's start things off beautifully, shall we Kamika," Cosmos held her hand to the sky as a large four-petal flytrap sprouted out of the ground.

The Paper Blizzard wizard summoned a single yellow inch-by-inch paper square in between her fingertips. The flytrap sent a breath attack of seeds in our directions. Kamika's paper square got caught in the attack and duplicated before our eyes until a swarm of paper and seeds appeared. Electricity flickered between the cards as Wiess jumped forward to intercept the unison raid with his own attack.

Taking a deep breath, the white dragonslayer released a large, powerful whirlwind breath attack. The blast tore through the storm of electricity and plant seeds with ease, and Venus Flytrap protected the two Rune Knights from the direct attack. "_White Light Whirlwind!_"

"Im-Impossible! An attack from his mouth?!" Kamika stuttered. "And he canceled out our Unison Raid on his own?!"

"Oi Rebecca, you want a piece of them, or should I handle this?" Wiess turned his back to their opponent to asked his question which irritated the Paper Blizzard Wizard. Kamika knew she and Cosmos were at the exceptional on their own. When they were together, their combos were virtually unparalleled, and yet this stray from the street was treated as subpar mages.

"I won't stay for this!" She black haired Rune Knight summon several streams of red origami paper. The fire produced burned brightly as it circled Wiess's body. She smirked as his body disappeared in the firestorm. "_God of Flames! _Reak havoc!"

"_I call upon thee! Open! Gate of the Archer: Sagittarius! and Star Dress: Sagittarius!" _The celestial archer appeared on his new master's side. The centaur wore a brighter smile than when Rebecca first met him, and trust between the two was evident. Rebecca proudly wore his star dress. It consisted of a twin-tailed coat and sleeves that leave the shoulders and upper back bare. A pair of dark thigh-high boots with light trim at the top, and she finished the outfit with a pair of green long sleeve gloves that covered her hand. Sagittarius's star dress came with a decorative bow that was about the same size as Rebecca, herself. "Let's do this, Sagittarius! _Star Shot!"_

Combining their might, the duo called upon the celestial world to shoot off multiple dazzling arrows that honed in the firestorm. On impact, the arrows exploded, canceling out the spells entirely. The dust cleared and revealed a slightly annoyed Wiess. "Oh come on, my hair got singed."

"Will you take this seriously?" Rebecca scowled the dragonslayer as she took aim at Cosmos.

"Fine, but Cancer is gonna have to fix this." He grumbled. The white dragonslayer begrudgingly lit his fist with a bright slightly transparent light. "Let's get this over with."

"Arrogance is not beautiful!" Cosmos proclaimed loudly to Wiess. "_Grow Flow!"_

The Plant Mage summoned a large gorgeous flower that stood between her and Wiess. The six petals were mesmerizing, but Rebecca was worried about the gaping hole in the center. Following her partner's actions, Kamika released a sea of violet-colored paper that was bound to Wiess's skin and clothes. Rebecca was almost caught in the storm of binding paper, but Sagittarius's instinctual reaction saved her.

The archer shot ten consecutive volleys of arrows to counteract the Paper Blizzard's attack. Although the arrows did not pierce through the sheet of papers, Sagittarius was able to make design a simple flower out of the fallen arrows. "To counteract projectiles...this is mere child's play for my arrows."

"That's cool and all, but I can't mov-" Sting's frozen body vibrated in place as the Cosmos's plant began to vacuuming the battlefield.

The shreds of paper and displaced arrow disappeared into the flower's black hole of a mouth. Rebecca and her team were quickly swept off their feet. Sagittarius tried to pierce the plant's gaping mouth with an arrow, but it vanished in the void.

Cosmos rejoiced at the sight of her enemies struggling in the air. "Succumb to the dazzling might of our power!"

"Oh no, you don't!" Rebecca shouted which startled the future executors. Waving another key in the air, she summoned the ace in the hole and their matching Star Dress. "_Open! Gate of the Crab, Cancer! And Star Dress: Cancer!"_

The stylish spirit appeared by his owner's side in the air. Rebecca released a blinding light as she transformed into a modified obi with a big ribbon wrapped around the waist and tied in the back. Below the waist, she had pieces of cloth hanging in the form of vertical stripes. She also wore knee-high socks, as well as flip-flops as footwear. In addition, Rebecca's hair is tied up in two high pigtails, secured by two round, pincer-shaped clips. Two normal sized blades materialized in her hand.

"Cancer, can you free Weiss from those binding paper? Sagittarius, can you keep Kamika and Cosmos busy with your arrows?" Lucy pleaded with her spirits. She couldn't send them to face the black hole flower when she was capable of doing the same. The archer spirit hesitated in agreeing, but the crab's confidence in Lucy's ability allowed Sagittarius to ready his bow. "I'll finish this right now! _Beta Cancri!_"

Rebecca surged through the air until she was arm distance of the core. She clamped the two ends of her blades together and began to spin the two-sided blade until the weapon spun freely around her body. The Celestial Wizard gripped the middle bar and cut cleanly through the flower. Without hesitating, she continued to slice through Cosmos's flower until it was reduced to cubed leaves. The vacuuming power died down as Rebecca floated back down to the ground with a blade in both hands.

Cancer freed Weiss from the binding paper with his accurate and precise cuts. As the shreds littered the ground, the dragonslayer cracked his stiffen joints. Eagerness was written clearly across his face. His magic level soared when white light began to flicker around his being. almost like he was tempted to enter White Drive.

"_Rain of Light!" _His grin grew once a magic seal appeared in above Weiss and Cancer. The White Dragonslayer waved his hands in the air as rays of light shot into the sky, momentary disappearing in the sun before raining down onto their opponents. Upon impact, the rays let off small explodes the enveloped the battlefield. The explosion left deep holes scattered around. The damage shown today was only a fraction of the dragonslayer's power, and yet his partner was still wary about how he was unleashing the magic. The attack was dazzling, but it was lacked accuracy.

Rebecca quickly forced Sagittarius and Cancer back into the Spirit World once she saw how damaged the battlefield was. She was able to dive underneath Weiss's magic seal for protection. Once the spell finished destroying the arena, the dust revealed Cosmos and Kamika laying unconscious, gaining them the opportunity to fight in the second round.

_**In an unexpected one-sided battle, Weiss and Rebecca are moving on to the semi-finals!**_

* * *

**September 1st, x777**

**Veilstone Penthouse**

**1:30 PM**

With the first round behind them, Lucy got a chance to catch her breath. She used more magic than originally suspected, but there was nothing that can change that now. The duo was greeted with curious eyes of their opponents once they made it back to the luxurious room.

"Well, that was certainly a sight to see," Saisuke commented as he congratulated us on our victory. "I never imagined combining Requip and Holder magic."

Lucy let out an awkward chuckle. The detective was half right about her magic. "It's not really requiping magic, but Star Dress is an extension of my spirits' powers."

"That's absurd! I've studied Celestial magic longer than you've been alive, and I never heard of such a thing." Karen furiously cried out. "It has to be Requip magic."

"I'm not lying!" Lucy snapped back, furious that she would be accused of evading the truth. "Cancer and my spirits entrusted me with their Star Dress, and I intend to use this power to collect the rest of the Golden Gates."

"You might want to aim for having nine because Aries and Libra will be mine." Karen sneered with confidence radiating from her being.

"How are you going win with only one key? If something happens to Scorpio in the next match, there's not much you can do in the finale."

A condescending smirk crossed the Pegasus's face. "Scorpio will listen to me no matter the conditions. My word is the law. Unless you wish to make a little wager."

"What?"

"If you win this tournament, then I'll break my contract with Scorpio and give him away." She dangled the scorpion's key in the air inches from Lucy's frowning face. "However, when I'm named the victor of this battle royale, I'll be taking your golden keys."

Luka's eyes widened from the shocking declaration. "Wait, that's nine keys on the line!"

"And, there's only twelve in existence," His partner, Rilo, reminded everyone. "That's a lot of power being passed around. I wonder what will happen if all twelve are brought to one place."

"It seems to be the million-dollar question. Well, Rebecca, what will you do if collected all the golden gates." Detective Saisuke asked with a small smirk as all eyes fell on Lucy.

"I...I think I'll show my mother." She smiled softly at the thought. "It was the one thing she never got to accomplish. She's the one who gave me my first keys."

"Honestly, what a waste of time." Karen dramatically sighed as she shrugged her shoulders before walking away. "With all that power, and the little girl wants to play Show-and-Tell with her mommy. Give me a break."

Sting noticed the burning fire in his partner's eyes. He knew her Fairy Tail family was precious to Lucy, and with the lengths, Fairy Tail has gone for their family, regardless of blood or bond, this might end with murder if he doesn't intervene. "Oi chill, what Rebecca does with the keys is her decision. Respect that."

"It's fine, Weiss," Rebecca took a deep breath. She took a rubber band from her wrist and placed her hair into a ponytail. "I never should've expected so much from Karen."

"It's impossible to see eye-to-eye with every person we come across." Detective Saisuke said with a slight frown. "It's truly amazing how two people who practice the same magic can have polar opposite views on Celestial Beings."

"We must be on way. The third match will begin shortly." Kiriyo gently pulled on her partner's sleeve. Her male counterpart gave an apologetic hand motion before exiting with Kiriyo.

"That's right...They're fighting Loki and Serpent," Lucy murmured to herself before following Sting to a table near the glass window. "The strongest guild in existence."

The White Dragon scratched his cheek at the thought. He had heard of Titanium in passing, but the details were fuzzy. Why didn't he recognize Loki or Serpent? How could he forget someone as hot as her?! Rather...what happened to the members once Fairy Tail became the strongest? Lucy's guild didn't become number one until like x780 and x781 when Erza and Mirajane become S-Class wizards. Then, there was a surge in their popularity that only grew. Titanium didn't surge back to the top once Fairy Tail disappear for like seven years. "Hey Rebecca, did your guild ever have a conflict with Titanium?"

"Huh?" She blinked twice from the sudden question before exhaling a shallow breath. "Wiess, you know I can't answer that. It's against my guild's rules to reveal private information."

"But, you talked about the guild war y'all had against the Phantoms. How is this any different?" He frowned.

"Because the Phantom guild war became public knowledge when the magic council wrote a report. Thus, it was public knowledge." Lucy explained the gray area of the matter. "Whatever isn't public knowledge, I can't talk about with someone outside the guild. For example, I can talk about a member and their magic, but I can't say anything about the extent of their capabilities."

"So, it's like me saying Rufus is a Memory Make wizard, but I can't say what spells he knows."

"Exactly, anything considered public knowledge is free game."

"Then, how did Natsu become a Lightning Fire-"

"Wiess, what did I just say?!"

"What? Gajeel ate Rogue's magic-"

"HE DID WHAT?!" Lucy screamed and caught the attention of several of the other pairs. Quickly mouthing a silent apology, she turned back to Sting after receiving a glare from Karen.

Sting leaned in close and whispered the next part in Lucy's ear. "Look, I wasn't there in person, but Gajeel swallowed one of Rogue's attacks and became the Iron Shadow Dragon."

"Well, in that case, becoming a dual-type dragonslayer is public knowledge," Lucy leaned back in her chair with her arms folded. "But how Natsu did it isn't. What happens behind closed doors and on private property remains a secret."

"Fine," He begrudgingly relented on the subject and turned his head to the area to take his mind off the subject.

Almost immediately, he regretted that decision. The smell of iron attacked his nostrils as his eyes focused on the blood-stained battleground. The sight alone was enough to churn his stomach; the smell pushed Sting over the edge. He stumbled to the nearest trashcan and threw up his lunch in itself entirety.

Saisuke and Kiriyo's blood was soaking into the ground as Loki and Serpent stood over their bodies. In the matter of mere minutes, the Titanium wizards turned the battle into a one-sided massacre which left the detectives almost unrecognizable to Lucy. To her displeasure and horror, Loki and Serpent lacked any injuries, let alone a hair out of place. No, the flamed-haired man and the serpent woman were only bothered by the amount of blood that happened to stain their cloaks.

**La-Ladies and gents, I-I believe that's a new personal best for Titanium! Securing their victory in three minutes, Loki and Serpent are moving on to the next round!**

"Th-Three minutes? That's insane!" Lucy gasped while the medics rushed the fallen side.

"You truly must be living under a rock," Karen rolled her eyes dramatically. "That how Titanium works. They value strength over everything else and will decimate their opponents with no remorse."

"Well, that won't get them far," Sting wiped the remaining vomit off his chin. "I'll make sure that."

"Wiess, there's no doubt you're strong, but Loki and Serpent on an entirely different level." Kamika frowned.

To her surprise, Sting began to laughing uncontrollably and clutched his stomach. "Oh, that's hilarious. Loki and Serpent might be Rebecca's level on a good day, but I'm leagues above everyone."

"So much for modesty," Lucy sweatdropped. "Ignore him. Wiess is very competitive, and it's sorta in his blood. But, he has a point. We entered this tournament with the mindset of winning, and Titanium won't change anything."

"That's the proper spirit to have moving forward," Luka's calming smile washed away the tension in the room. "I look forward to our match. Who knows? We might duke it out in the finale."

"Did you forget that we still must defeat our opponents of this round," Rilo sighed softly before pulling him out of the room. "We will return."

The Celestial Wizard shared a worried look with her partner. If this was the same Tartarus as the one infamous dark guild, the odds might not be in Luka and Rilo's favor. After all, the members of Grimoire Heart and Oracion Seis were extremely strong in their own way. Lucy wished she could've defeated Angel or Kain her own. She was thankful for Natsu and Hibiki's help, but it still felt wrong for her to be dependent on those around her.

"I'm going to have faith in Luka and Rilo's power," Lucy reassured herself that the Veilstone representatives won't face a similar fate as the detectives.

"That is a wise choice," Ichiya appeared by Sting's side. "Their perfume is a strong one indeed."

"Ichiya?!" Lucy jumped at his sudden appearance. "What are you doing over here? I thought since you were Karen's partner and all, you would be avoiding us."

"Nonsense, there is an interesting and strong perfume coming from your companion!" The Pegasus mage marveled with excitement in his voice. "I, for one, have come across a wide range of perfumes, but Weiss's scent is unparalleled to any that I have experienced before! I must investigate it."

The dragonslayer clenched his fist by his side in an attempt to subdue his urge to maul the stumpy man. "You got three seconds before I knock your lights out, ya weirdo!"

"Wiess, please, this isn't the first time someone said to you. I'm sure all the girls you've been with said the exact same thing," Lucy snickered softly to herself. Seeing Sting be uncomfortable was one of the few pleasures she receives nowadays.

"Ah! A player and a bachelor! It seems we are one of the same! Women often throw themselves at me in hope of gaining my attention!" Ichiya proudly proclaimed as he desperately clung to the dragonslayer's waist.

"We are not the same and you know!" Sting snapped as he attempted to shake Ichiya off.

Lucy stifled her urge to laugh. In all honesty, Lucy wasn't too worried about Ichiya discovering their secret since there was nothing eluding to it other than Sting's scent, and there were no clues connecting the two. After all, Natsu is the first dragonslayer to make a name for himself, so the idea of a dragonslayer doesn't exist just yet. It's still considered a lost art.

A small smile grew on her face before she turned to her attention to the battleground. Watching Sting and Ichiya bicker and fight reminded her of Fairy Tail and the daily banter that eventually grew on her. Lucy pressed her right hand against her chest and said a silent prayer before giving the fight her full attention. Luka and Rilo's match against Nyx and Thanatos was about to begin.

The starting bell rang throughout the area signaling the participants to battle. Luka took a slow inhale and held his breath for a moment before exhaling slowly. The fiery red aura around him flowed around his figure with every following breath as a small smile grew into a wicked grin. Rilo had a forest green light emitting from her body as she murmured a small prayer.

Nyx made the first move by unleashing a series of earth pillars towards the male fighter with Thanatos throwing poisonous spikes around the battlefield. In retaliation, Luka violently threw his body against the rocky columns and began bulldozing his way through one after another. As he closed the distance between him and his opponent, Luka recklessly stepped on the traps laid before him. His face paled for a moment before his eyes began to roll into the back of his skull.

Rilo chanted an incantation with her hands extended forward. A green aura encompassed Luka before he had the chance to fall over. Ridden him of his illness, Lucy watched in amazement as Luka was brought back from the edge of exhaustion. His wounds and cuts from the columns had faded as fast as they had appeared.

"So this is aura magic?" Lucy muttered to herself as she leaned forward. Much like dragonslayer and godslayer magic, aura magic must come in a large variety. From the battle so far, she theorized that red aura made the user more aggressive while green aura had healing attributes which made them a synced team. Luka is free to enhance his physical abilities, and Rilo would be there to heal him to near perfection. "I guess that's why those two are famous in Veilstone. And Thanatos and Nyx are pretty interesting. Those poison spikes almost immediately took out Luka. They must be stacked with powerful venom. Those pillars were on par with what Jura might produce..."

Once the aura mage broke through the last pillar, Thanatos blasted Luka in the face with black sludge. Nyx followed the attack by encasing the Veilstone representative stone coffin and submerged deep within the ground. Rilo gave them an annoyed glare before chanting another enchantment. Tartarus's members sped toward with the hands ready to attack.

A green transparent dome appeared with a three-yard radius and Rilo at the center. Thanatos smirked the girl's attempt at defense and launched a toxic bomb at the Veilstone resident. The bomb sizzled upon impact and melted away, leaving the protective shield undamaged. Nyx shouted some insults as he unleashed a meteor storm from the sky which caused Rilo and several of the other participants to widen their eyes in shock and concern. An attack of that magnitude had the potential to leave the crowd to feel the aftereffects.

"They wouldn't, right? That attack could kill someone on the first level." Evergreen gasped.

"There's no telling with a dark guild. Casualties never matter with them." Freed frowned with his arms folded across his chest.

"Then, shouldn't we evacuate them then?!" Lucy said with urgency in her voice.

"Why bother?" Loki yawned. "If they're strong, they'll survive. If they're weak, then...think of this as a merciful end."

Lucy was suddenly taken aback by his nonchalant attitude. Before she could recover from his comment, Sting steps forward. "You wanna repeat that? What kind of attitude is that?"

"An honest one," He scoffed. "These people knew what they were getting into when bought their ticket, so what is a couple of weaklings die in the crossfire. The world will continue on."

The light in Sting's eyes dull and his pupils shrunk as his mind was flooded with Sabertooth memories. From disregarding Yukino's ex-communication from the guild to Jiemmia striking down Lector, the horrible thoughts consumed him. Sting flicked in and out of White Drive. His eye shined as he marched towards the smirking Loki with each step leaving a footprint on the floor.

Lucy tightly gripped Sting's hand which forced him to stop for a moment and look back at his partner. In this moment of clarity, Sting forced himself to regain his composure and shoot Loki a deathly glare before walking to the opposite end of the room. Lucy let out a sigh of relief as the group return to their level of normality.

In a desperate attempt, Rilo shrank the size of her dome to a yard in diameter and produced a shield circling around the outer ring of the battlefield and that was tall enough to surpass the third level in height. Karen, Evergreen, and Freed took a step back out of caution while Lucy, Sting, Ichiya, Loki, and Serpent remained in their original spots with interest in their eyes. Nyx took this chance to put more pressure on Rilo's shield with more poisonous attacks, one more deadly than the previous. Rilo's aura spiked the instant the meteors struck the ground.

The meteors shook the stadium and rocked the reinforced room. Lucy and the others held onto the railing for stability while Evergreen and Karen gripped their seats for security. Thankfully, the green shield protected everyone from the debris in the air.

Through the cloud of debris, a glowing red light shined and continued to grow exponentially with each passing second.

"Shit, they're pissed," Sting stated with a hint of concern in his voice. Before Lucy ask what he meant, the dust disappears leaving Luka in its wake. Rilo's shields had given out and left her with fury in her eyes.

Rilo launched herself off the ground with a small jump. She twisted her body in the air and successfully kicked Nyx across the face, sending him crashing into the wall, and used his body as a springboard to shoot herself at Thanatos.

The Tartarus mage threw his arms in a defensive manner, but a stomp from Luka caused the ground to quake underneath his might. Losing his balance for a moment, Thanatos was left himself open for Rilo's second kick of the fight. Upon impact, Rilo gripped him by the arm and tossed towards her partner, Luka.

The aura mage allowed his magic to consume his body and slam his fist into Thanatos's skull. The stone mage collapsed from the weight of Luka's attack. Thus, that left the Velistone representative as the victors of the first round's final battle.

* * *

**Keys Obtained: **Cancer, Aquarius, Capricorn, Crux, Virgo, Taurus, and Sagittarius

**Keys Needed: **Leo, Aries, Scorpio, Gemini, Libra, and Pisces

**A/N: **

**No one:**

**Absolutely no one:**

**Not a single soul:**

**Me: **What if Mirajane, Laxus, and Gray (possibly Juvia) entered the BNHA universe and had to do a mission with Denki, Bakugo, Yamomo, and Shouto (maybe Aizawa)?


	16. The Punch Heard Around the World!

**September 1st, x777**

**Veilstone Stadium's Hallways**

**3:00 PM**

After the conclusion of Luka and Rilo's match, the announcer allowed for a brief intermission, and Lucy wasn't going to waste this chance. She quietly excused herself and Sting from the luxurious room and into a corner of one of the stadium's hallways. Albeit the dragonslayer's reaction was justified, Lucy couldn't help but worry as to why his reaction was a tad too murderous for her liking.

"So, are you gonna tell me what's up or are you finally gonna give in to my charm and kiss me," Sting playfully smirked.

"Please be serious, there's something I want to ask you?" Lucy held back the urge to groan at his playboy antics. "Are you...like okay?"

"Huh? I'm perfect in every way," He raised a confused eyebrow. "What's this about?"

"Are you sure? Cause your reaction to Loki's remark was..frightening, to say the least."

Sting clicked his tongue and then scratched the back of his head. "Okay look, what that bastard said brought up some bad memories. That's all."

"Memories of...Sabertooth or something else? I know this might be a touchy subject, but I want to help you in any way I can."

"...It's just...that guild reminds me of everything Sabertooth stood for, and I hate it." He admitted with his arms folded across his chest. "I couldn't help but think about every insult and backhanded comment I made about Yukino and what Jiemma did to Lector. Keep the strong and dispose of the weak...God, how could I be so blind for so long?"

"Oh Sting," Lucy said above a small whisper. She pulled him into a comforting hug and rest his head on her shoulder. "This world is filled with both beauty and vile, but it's up to us to decide on what we're willing to accept. What happened is behind you and now you have the power to show compassion to your friends."

"Spare me the pretty words, I'm not a Fairy." Sting groaned. "I'm not like you or Mirajane. I'm not able to love others so easily."

Lucy smiled softly and spoke with empathy in her voice. "But, you realized where you went wrong, and that's the first step. So don't be so hard on yourself. It's never easy, but it will become easier with time."

"Er...Thanks," His face flushed as they separated. A Fairy always knew the right thing to say to boost someone's morals.

"Besides, everyone can show love and compassion. You love Lector and Rogue, right?"

"Yeah, and you too." He answered honestly. "Not in a romantic way, of course. Erza and Mirajane would kill me if I tried anything intimate with you."

"And yet you still do," Lucy sweatdropped at his response.

"Hey, you know I'm messing around. I know you're Natsu's girl."

Lucy blushed once Sting's claim sank in. Did people really think she was Natsu's girlfriend? Of course, Lucy had feelings for Natsu and for a longer time than she will ever admit. It's just that Lucy never expected Natsu to give romance a thought. The fire dragonslayer had a one-track mind and was always looking for the next adventure. Frankly, some days Lucy felt her unrequited love could rival Juvia's unreturned love for Gray.

"Yo, you still there?" Sting snapped his fingers in front of Lucy's face to get her attention.

"Um...yeah, yeah, I am. It's just that Natsu and I aren't a thing." Lucy shamefully admitted. "You see. Natsu isn't the type of guy that's into romance and relationships. He considers everyone, regardless of past, gender, or personality, to be his friends...including me."

"So, you're saying that he friendzoned you." Sting stifled his urge to laugh. "Oh, that's priceless."

Lucy rubbed her arm as she hung her head low. "It's not that funny. It's just that I wish I could get him to see me in a different light."

The Celestial Wizard pushed the negative emotions clouding her mind in the deepest corners of her mind. She can long for Natsu another time. Aries and Libra are waiting for her and needed her undivided attention. Her feelings for Natsu can wait until she can hold him again. That might be for another couple months though...There's no telling how long this mission will drag out, and every day they're leaving a more influential impact than the day before. Showcasing her smile, Lucy laced her fingers together behind her back. "Come on, we should get going. I'm sure our break is almost over."

"Um yeah," Sting eyed her for a second. Could she really be okay with this? Natsu and Lucy have the chance to have something most people spend their lives searching for. Could she really settle for a platonic partnership?

* * *

**September 1st, x777**

**Veilstone Penthouse**

**3:15 PM**

_**"Ladies and gents! Welcome you to the second round and the semi-finals! Without wasting another second, let's move on to the first match!"**_

_**Karen and Ichiya v. Rebecca and Weiss**_

_**Loki and Serpent v. Luka and Rilo**_

The eight semi-finalists leaned against the railing as the announcer continued to speak. The screen floating about the field buzzed to life and displayed the battle order. Lucy and Karen quickly made eye contact. Confidence and determination radiated off of Karen as she smirked. Lucy matched her with her pride as a Celestial Wizard on the line.

"I can't lose here," She whispered to herself as her hand hovered over her keys. "I can say goodbye to the future if I lose this battle."

"You won't." Sting placed a comforting hand on his partner's shoulder before shining a toothy smile. "I trained you, so there's no way you can lose. The odds are in your favor."

"Build her up all you want, it will only make my victory sweeter." Karen sneered as she made her way to the exit.

Serpent's mocking laugh caught the attention of everyone in the room. It came off as cold and taunting almost as if she dared Karen to retort. "Oh, I am going to enjoy the despair you create."

"What was that?" The Pegasus narrowed her eyes.

"Oh nothing, good luck!" The Titanium mage sang in an overly sweet voice.

Karen rolled her eyes as she gave a dismissing wave. Ichiya spared us a sympathetic glance before following behind his partner. Lucy was met with a reassuring smile from her teammate Sting. The semifinals were underway, and Lucy was ready as she'll ever be.

* * *

**September 1st, x777**

**Veilstone Stadium's Battleground**

**3:30 PM**

The audience's cheers were more favorable than the first round's. The crowd wasn't completely on Rebecca and Weiss's side, but it was nice to have a decently sized following behind them. The crowd was still very favorable to the Blue Pegasus team, and she understood that completely. They're a nationally recognized and beloved guild, so Karen and Ichiya entered with a momentous amount of positivity. It would be weird if they didn't receive love.

The announcer sounded off which allowed us to start.

Wiess growled with eagerness in his throat. White light radiated off his body. Ichiya studied us for a moment before speeding towards the dragonslayer. The Blue Pegasus inhaled three bottles of perfume. The effects were immediate. His clothes stretched as his spontaneous muscles took shape until he was twice Sting's size. The two of them began to exchanged blows. Neither bothering to block or dodge the other's attack.

Karen swung her golden key in the air and called Scorpio out for his assistance. Rebecca took a deep breath. She was aware of the scorpion's style of attack. He relied heavily on large and long-range attacks with his Sand Buster and minimum close combat skills. A good counterbalance would be someone who can match his sand attacks.

Calling upon the strength of her strongest spirit, Lucy waved the water bearer's key in the air until a blinding light consumed her being. "Star_ Dress: Aquarius Form!"_

"Aquarius?" Scorpio raised his eyebrow before excitement overcame him. "Aye yo, you're my babe's master?"

...That's right. They're dating. Rebecca had forgotten about that small and minor detail... "Er, yes. It's nice to finally meet her boyfriend."

"Boyfriend?" Karen took a step back out of confusion. What the hell were they on about? "Nevermind all that! Destroy her!"

Rebecca almost felt some pity for the Blue Pegasus. She appeared to be unaware of how long those two have been dating. For humans like her and Rebecca, Scorpio and Aquarius have been dating for roughly 14 years, but in Celestial time, that's only 2 months. Oh, that explains so much. They were in that stage of their relationship.

"Would I like me to bring her out? I'm sure Aquarius would love to spend some time with you." She offered with a smile.

"NO-" Karen's rage was overall dismissed by Scorpio overwhelming happiness

"That's an awesome idea!"

Rebecca said a small prayer in hopes the Water Bearer wouldn't come out her gate raging and summon a ball of water in her hand. "_I call upon thee. Open! Gate of the Water Bearer! Aquarius!"_

The mermaid surveyed the area with a slight scowl until her eyes were met Scorpio. It was almost comical how fast Aquarius clung to her boyfriend's arm. "Oh, I've missed you soo much, darling!"

"You can't be serious..." Karen's jaw dropped. Scorpio had the audacity to not only ignore her commands but to do so in front of an audience. Her master was live-streaming this for the guild! This is that damn Rebecca's fault! She's making a fool out of me! I won't give her the satisfaction anymore! "Scorpio! If you want your little girlfriend, then I suggest you give your all. We are wagering our keys after all."

The air around Aquarius condensed until a chilling fog formed. The mermaid parted from her significant other and closed the distance between her and Rebecca. The smile the spirit wore concealed the fury boiling inside. The water bearer's nails dug into Rebecca's shoulders until blood began to seep out. "What wager is that woman talking about?"

"Er, we're wagering our keys-ouch," Lucy flinched at the sharp pain of Aquarius digging deeper into her skin.

"So what's next? You're gonna give away my key for a ham sandwich."

"I-I had to! We knew where Scorpio's key was. I wouldn't ha-have agreed unless it was absolutely necessary."

"I hope so because you lose...I'll make sure you won't make it to tomorrow." The mermaid threatened before turning to face her boyfriend's master. "I won't be participating in this...bet. Scorpio, when you finish, how about a homemade dinner? Virgo showed me a new recipe, and I want your opinion."

"You got it, babe," The scorpion winked at her as Aquarius disappear in a sea of blue light.

Rebecca rubbed her temple. She should've seen this coming. Aquaruis wouldn't fight Scorpio, not with that innocent routine she dances whenever he's around. "Fine, I guess there's no avoiding this fight! Let's go, Scorpio! Don't you dare hold back!"

"That's the spirit! Aquarius got one hell of a master!" Scorpio said with excitement in his eyes.

The humanoid scorpion got on all fours and pointed his tail cannon at Lucy. In rapid successions, he released blasts of sand at a high velocity. Rebecca sidestepped to dodge the shots and sent a torrent of water in return. Before the attack connected, Scorpio swatted the liquid away with his cannon with ease.

Rebecca frowned at the sight of Karen's smirk. If she wanted to beat the superiority out of her, Rebecca would need to banish Scorpio back to the Spirit World without pissing Aquarius off in the process. Mavis forbid, Rebecca leaves a bruise on the spirit. Aquarius might drown her for it.

Closing the gap between them, Rebecca surfed towards the duo and prepped a water ball in her hand. Maneuvering around the shots of sand, she surrounded the ball with three rings and launched it at Scorpio's chest. He skidded back two feet, barely avoiding colliding with Karen.

Clapping her hands together, two orbs of water developed around her hand. She motioned her hands to form a light blue magic circle in front of her body. A stream of water spurted out and hit Scorpio, barely missing his master in the process.

The Pegasus snarled in frustration. Noting his master's anger, Scorpio stepped up his performance.

_"Desert Storm!"_ The scorpion swam in the stream of Rebecca's attack as he charged his cannon. From point-blank range, the tanned spirit unleashed a tornado of sand and debris that quickly consumed the battlefield. She was sent flying until her back slammed against the concrete wall.

Rebecca quickly collected her before realizing how terrible her visibility was. She could barely see a foot in front of her.

"Wiess!" She called out before spitting out the sand in her mouth. "Are you okay!?"

"Yes, this is nothing!" He exclaimed with a hint of excitement in his voice. "I can't see shit, but Ichiya's drenched in perfume! So, my nose is helping me beat his ass!"

A sea of relief washed over her body. That's good. It's nice to have a capable dragonslayer on her side. "That's great! I'll handle Scorpio and Karen- Gah!"

A bullet shower of sand pelted Rebecca's skin, forcing her to kneel down. She formed a water barrier for protection, but the sand storm was eroding the water away at a rapid pace. "Oi Rebbeca, what happened!"

"Nothing! I can still fight!" I just need to find a way to get rid of this sandstorm. Without Scorpio, there shouldn't be much of an aftereffect, and I think there's a way to reach him in this sand. Gripping his key tightly, Rebecca held the key close to her chest. "_Open! Gate of the Gate of the Goat! Capricorn! and __Star Dress: Capricorn!__"_

A bright purple light consumed her body for a moment. Once the light died down, Rebecca found herself wearing a black and purple sleek dress with large slits on both sides of the bottom half while covering the front and back with a pair of white boots and black elbow-length gloves. Her hair was braided into two large bands of hair with black bows on the ends. She pushed her dark-colored shades up on her nose. "That should do it!"

"The ideal choice, Miss Rebecca. Sagittarius would also be a sufficient option." Capricorn dodged the barrage of sand with ease.

"I know, but he's still shaken by what Kisa made him do..." She scratched her flushed cheeks. "I don't think I want him aiming at a person or spirit for a while...Also, can you do me a favor?"

"Of course, what was on your mind?" He bowed.

"Can...Can you be the one who sends Scorpio back to the Spirit World? I kinda don't want to drown anytime soon." She hung her head in shame. "I'm really sorry."

"Why would you drow- Aquarius...Very well, Aquarius is known for her temper. As for how Scorpio is oblivious, that is the work of a Being beyond my comprehension. I will do my best, Miss. Rebecca, but we must do something about this sandstorm, first."

"Right, let's go," Rebecca nodded with a small smile.

Scorpio's barrage of sand bullets rained down on us. Capricorn's Star Dress enhanced her agility and flexibility, thankfully. Her movement became more relax and fluid as she dodged the fury of shots. With Capricorn by her side, Rebecca felt her confidence rise. His gentle support led her to improve in terms of leap and bounds. Twirling and bouncing around, they closed the distance between them and Scorpio.

The humanoid scorpion's eyes widened from surprise. Before he could stand up again, Capricorn elbowed on the back of the neck, causing him to collapse onto the ground. Groaning in pain, Scorpio returned to the Celestial World. Noting that he completed his task, Capricorn left the rest in his master's hands. Rebecca smiled as she removed her shades. The sandstorm slowly dissipated and cleared the arena. On the other end, Wiess had a heavily bruised Ichiya pinned underneath his boot. "Cap's special specs! Protects the user's visibility and cancels any to all Eye Magic! Now, it's time to deal with you."

A satisfied smirk graced Rebecca's face as she transformed into _Taursus's Star Dress. _Her fist glowed a faint brown as she threw a right hook at Karen. "_Bulldoze!"_

"_Open! Gate of the Scorpion! Scorpio!" _Karen frantically swung her golden key in the air. The dazed spirit appeared in the space between the two women. With no chance to throw up a defense, Rebecca's fist smashed into the side of Scorpio's head. Aquarius's boyfriend flew through the air until he smashed into the arena's wall. She let out a small gasp once she realized what had happened.

"Scorpio!" Rebecca cried out in horror before turning to Karen with rage in her eyes. "Why did you summon him?! Scorpio wasn't in the right condition to fight!"

"Celestial Spirits are made to serve their masters!" Karen snapped. The Pegasus poured more of her magic into the key. "Now,-"

"Oh no, you don't." Rebecca swung her whip at her opponent and grabbed her by the arm. "Don't you dare force him to fight anymore!"

Karen stared directly into Rebecca's eyes as she continued to pour her magic into his key. She not going to listen to a half-dressed bimbo! This was her spirit to command and her spirit alone. "_Come forth! Scorpio!" _

The tanned male answered the call. His posture was more sluggish than before, and he lacked his usual confidence. Honestly, Rebecca thought a simple push would send him back. "Scorpio, please, close your gate. I can see the pain in your eyes. You don't have to keep fighting."

"Ya know. My babe is lucky to have such a nice master, but we, spirits, gotta listen to our masters." He gave Rebecca a tired wink. "I know Aquarius listen to everything ya say, and I gotta do the same with Karen. Sorry, but that's how it gotta be."

"There's a difference between this and how Rebecca treats Aquarius," Wiess approached us from left with Ichiya in tow. Dropping the defeating man, Wiess pressed his hand against the scorpion's bare chest. A white light developed on the spirit's skin, paralyzing him in the process. "_White Claw. _Take a break, you fought hard today."

"Wi-Wait, why can't I move?!" He stammered out, much to his and Karen's horror.

"Thanks, Wiess," Rebecca tightened the straps on her gloves. She was going to savor this one for all that its worth. With the power boost from Taursus's Star Dress, she pulled on her whip and forced Karen to fly towards her. Lighting her free fist with a light brown glow, Rebecca's right hook slammed Karen in the face. "_Bulldoze!"_

The weight behind her punch caused Karen to collapse onto the ground. Scorpio spared them a faint smile before disappearing.

_**In a display of overwhelming skill and power, Wiess and Rebecca win their spot in the final battle!**_

* * *

**Keys Obtained: **Cancer, Aquarius, Capricorn, Crux, Virgo, Taurus, Sagittarius

**Keys Needed: **Leo, Aries, Scorpio, Gemini, Libra, and Pisces

A/N: This was supposed to be, at most, a three-part arc at most, but here we are with a part four coming. I think I know what I want to do with Loke, Gemini, and Pisces. I read the 100-year quest, and I honestly felt bad for Lucy when they started talking about Natsu. Homegirl really out here having unrequited love.


	17. Cracking Titanium!

**September 1st, x777**

**Veilstone Penthouse**

**4:00 PM**

After reporting to the nursing unit for their minor injuries, Lucy and Sting were cleared to return to the penthouse. The dragonslayer had a few bruises on his arms and chest from Ichiya's punches while Lucy sustained a handful of purple blots on her stomach. Once the match was called, Karen shot them a nasty glare and stomped away. The perfume mage leaned against Sting as they helped him to the infirmary. The doctors insisted that Ichiya should stay for another hour or two before he was allowed to be discharged.

"How are you holding up?" Sting asked as they leaned against the railing.

"I'll be lying if I said wasn't tired." Lucy groaned as she rested her head. "I went through five Star Dress and four spirits. I don't know how much magic I have left. What about you?"

"I can go a couple more rounds," He shrugged. "You're doing really good though. You'll be kicking everyone's ass when we get back."

"I don't know about that. I'm still nowhere near the other's level." Lucy slouched a little. The gap between her and the others was closing, but she still didn't believe there any chance of her surpassing the top tier of Fairy Tail. "It's only been two months. That's not enough to beat someone who has natural talent like Gray or Erza."

"Then, let's stay a year."

"You're kidding, right?"

"Why not? No one said we had to leave once we get all twelve."

"Wiess, that is by far the stupidest thing you said on this _entire _trip," Is what Lucy desperately wanted to say but chose to change her response, "As we discussed two months ago, our very presence is effecting the forthcoming events. If we stay longer than absolutely necessary, then we risk creating a larger butterfly effect than either of us can handle."

"So, if we magically find Gemini, Leo, and Pisces today, you would want to go back tomorrow?" He folded his arms across his chest. "If you had the chance right now, you would take it."

"Of course, I want to go back to my guild...my friends...my family."

"Yeah, but do you think we can handle Rogue as we are now? He's a year ahead of us, and I wanna make sure we can handle whatever he throws at us." Sting sighed. He didn't want to keep Lucy from her guild.

He knew their bond was something beyond his understanding...something indescribable. Something that he envied, honestly. When Lucy and Yukino were kidnapped, they sent a rescue group knowing damn well they were defying the kingdom's orders. And Sabertooth did nothing help. Hell, he didn't even realize what had happened until Lucy told him. And yet, Yukino still sacrificed herself for the guy that turned his back to during her darkest moment. Sting couldn't stomach the idea of making the same mistake again.

"Look, I'm beginning to understand what friendship means to your guild, and there's a lot of stuff I don't really get. I'm fine with that, but Rogue has a year's worth of experience hanging over our heads." Sting sighed as he reluctantly made himself more vulnerable. "Natsu couldn't beat him even with a dragon fueling his power. As insane as it sounds, we have to be stronger than Natsu if we want to stand a chance. 'Cuz I rather not watch my guildmate die again, and I'm sure you don't want to either."

"I get it. Rouge is significantly stronger than us, but we won't fight them alone. Our friends will be on our side, so I know we'll win."

Sting stared at his partner for a moment before he realized what Lucy was hinting at. "Wait...you're gonna tell your guild? Why?"

"Because...they deserve to know. Besides, wouldn't it be better to give our guilds _some _foresight?" Lucy stared wearying at Sting. Why would she keep a secret from her guild? The last time she did that..well lead to a guild war. "Weren't you going tell Yukino and Rouge at the very least? Lector?"

"I don't want to put them through that hell again. I don't mind carrying this burden if it meant them enjoying the Grand Magic Games,"

"But, we're stronger together. If we play our cards right, Rouge won't have an army backing him." She assured him. "I don't mind training with you. These two months have actually been a lot of fun. I know if we explain the situation to them, our guilds will be more than happy to help us."

The White Dragonslayer let out a dry chuckle. "I hear what you're saying, but our guilds are completely different. If Jiemma hears that I lost to a dragon, he'll kick me out before I can even finish the story. It's number one or be a disgrace."

"Then, my guild will accept you with open arms!" Lucy declared.

"It's not that simple. I'm not-"

"Not what? Like us?" She raised her eyebrow with a small smile gracing her face. "You don't have to be one of us. We'll accept you for whoever you choose to be. If Sabertooth wants nothing to do with this mission, then my guild will pick up the slack."

"I'm pretty sure Natsu wants to beat my ass," He sweatdropped.

"He's like that with everyone." Lucy playfully smirked.

The duo shared a small laugh before the next second battle of semifinal began. There will be plenty of time to worry about the future. For now, their attention was on Luka and Rilo's match. The best outcome would be for the duo to win against Titanium, and the four of them duke it for Aries, Libra, and the prize money.

Rilo began the match by chanting some incantations to boost their offensive and defensive abilities. Luka had this wicked grin on his face when he rushed towards the Titanium mages. A small smirk graced Serpent before she became a King Cobra humanoid. She slipped passed the male fighter with the grace of a ballerina and slammed her tail into Rilo's ribcage.

Luka turned his back from the flame-haired man to check on his partner. Loki took this opportunity to toss a small ball of fire at the aura mage's feet. Within a five feet radius of the firecracker, a human-size beartrap snapped and caught Luka inside. The trap's teeth dug deep into the aura mage's skin and began to burn the flesh near the wound.

"So Loki's a fire mage, and Serpent uses Take-Over magic?" Lucy flinched at the sight. "This isn't so much of a fight...rather an execution."

"It's only going to get worse," Cosmo commented with a heavy frown.

"Wha-"

"Watch, this is what you should expect in your fight," Freed swiftly cut her off with a slight scowl.

The flame-haired wizard did not attempt to hide his smirk. Luka's mouth opened to scream. Loki retaliated with a burst of flames into the aura's mouth, severely burning the inside. He crumbled to the ground and withered in pain. Loki took a step further and towered over the burned wizard. Five flaming arrows pierced the aura mage's body. A burning pentagon charred his body and fused his tattered clothes to his broken figure. The flames grew exponentially with flickers of different shades of red, yellow, and orange. There were hints of facial expressions flashed in the walls of the embers.

Rilo raised her hand to heal her partner. Serpent took this opportunity as a chance to wrap her tail around the female mage and sink her teeth in Rilo's neck. The venom invaded her body and corrupted her organs from the inside. The Take-Over mage tightened the coils considerably. Rilo's turned a light shade of blue from the lack of oxygen to her lung. Blood began to squirt out of the poor woman's face. The distortion to Rilo's face was unnatural, and methods were inhumane. Lucy forced herself to look away from the horrors.

The torturous battle continued on with the Titanium wizards performing worse and worse magic onto their opponents. Lucy's nails dug into her skin as she hugged herself. The helplessness in their eyes was too much for the Fairy and was all too familiar. The fight was clearly one-sided, but the two S-Class Wizards raged on.

The memories of Minerva's abusive nature flashed in Sting's mind as he watched the gruesome scene unfolded. Loki's sneering expression and Serpent's devilish smirk made his skin crawl. His grip crushed the iron rallying as his White form flickered on his skin. "I'm gonna kill them. I can't hold back anymore."

"Don't worry...I'm right behind you," Lucy frowned as she followed her partner down to the battleground. Neither bothered to wait for the announcer to finish calling the match. The sins committed today had to be righted. Serpent and Loki's actions today were unprovoked and required a just punishment. And, Sting and Lucy would be the ones who deliver it.

"This is for Saisuke, Kiriyo, Luka, and Rilo."

**_Back to back flawless victories by Fiore's strongest guild! Can Wiess and Rebecca topple Loki and Serpent's streak or will they crumble underneath their overwhelming power?!_**

* * *

**September 1st, x777**

**Veilstone Battleground**

**5:00 PM**

The final match was upon them. Rebecca and Wiess glared down Loki and Serpent. The memories of the last fight were burned into their mind. With every blink, they heard the aura mage's bloodcurdling scream which pissed them off to no end. Lucy knew the feeling of being powerless all too well. It was etched into her past, but it won't be her future. She'll take a stand for those who were trampled on today.

"Ah, the mysterious duo is our final opponent," Loki hummed as he studied our stances. "I preferred to end this game by beating someone who actually known."

"Oh, we're about to be known." Wiess cracked his knuckled. "We'll be known for giving y'all the ass whooping heard around Fiore. Let's cut the small talk, and skip to the ass-whooping."

"You sound confident for someone who's been struggling," Loki's smirk pissed Wiess off too no end. "I guess we'll just have to show off our true power."

"Wow, you think you're special," Wiess sneered. "I could run circles around y'all with breaking a sweat."

"If you two are done with your pissing contest, I would like to win before the sun sets." Serpent rolled her eyes as she transformed back into her scaly form.

Without much regard for anyone's wellbeing, she shot a volley of acid at Rebecca's legs. Jumping backward, the Celestial Wizard unleashed Taurus into their world and shifted into his Star Dress. "Let's go, Taurus!"

"You look bulltiful in my Star Dress!" The bull cooed with hearts in his eyes.

She sighed at his antics. Ignoring his wandering eyes, Rebecca brought his attention back to Serpent. The snake wizard released thin violet bullets of venom from her tail sting. Rebecca and Taurus retaliated by smashing the ground underneath and created a shield from the pieces. The venom soaked into the stones and disintegrated it until only ash remains.

The Celestial Wizard swung her whip at Titanium wizard and caught her by the wrist. Pulling with all her might, Rebecca managed to lift the snake off the ground and swing her into the Goolden Bull. Taurus made two slicing motions at Serpent's stomach with his ax. "_Acid Armor!"_

The ax head melted away upon impact. Rebecca's whip softened around Serpent's wrist, freeing her from the constrictions. Taurus charged at the purple snake with his fist's raised. A smirk graced Serpent's face. She wrapped her tail around the bull's waist and brought him face-to-face. The Titanium wizard reverted her scale face back to her human face. The Take-Over mage sunk her fangs into Taurus's neck.

"Taurus!" Rebecca cried out as Serpent released the spirit from her grasp. His skin turned a purplish-green once his body gave out. Rebecca left out a soft sigh before she produced two more keys. "...Thank you for trying your best. Please get some rest. _Return Golden Bull! Open! Gate of the Maiden! Virgo!"_

"Punishment time?" Virgo popped up from the ground with a monotone expression.

"Virgo, what am I going to do with you?" Rebecca sweatdropped. "We have to beat that Take-Over wizard!"

"Very well."

The maiden's eyes shined red as a magic circle appeared underneath her feet. Virgo manipulated the ground underneath us and formed earthy pillars that grew in size. An unimpressed expression graced Serpent's face. With a single horizontal motion from her hands, a wave of indigo slime sliced through the mountains. Virgo's pillars crumbled underneath its own weight.

Complimenting her spirit's attack, Rebecca began to kick the ruined pillars at Serpent, in the hopes of one of the hits landing. Yet, the Serpent: Take-Over magic made the Titanium incredibly nimble. The purple-haired woman dodged the rumble with ease.

Sensing her master struggling, Virgo took it upon her self to slip into the background of the battle. Once she realized no one was paying her attention, the maiden quietly dug herself a hole and burrowed herself toward the snake woman. When the spirit believed she was directly underneath the Titanium wizard, she shot her hands through the ground and gripped the serpent's tail as tightly as she could. "Miss Rebecca, this is your opportunity!"

Serpent struggled to free herself from the Celestial Being's grip. The Titanium woman created a circle of venom around her body in the hopes of poisoning another one. Rebecca took this distraction as a chance to secure the victory. If she can beat Serpent here, then Loki won't stand a chance against her and Wiess.

"_All Out Combat!" _

Breaking through Serpent's tight defense, Rebecca slammed her fist into Serpent's abdomen. Once the Titanium woman let out a sharp breath, Rebecca's following punch connected to Serpent's windpipes, effectively knocking the air from her lungs. A swift kick to the Take-Over's side caused the purple-haired woman to crash into the brick wall. Virgo charged forward and motioned her hands upward. A magic circle appeared at the Titanium wizard's feet. Two steel chains erupted from the ground and clamped around her arm. Taking this opportunity, Rebecca releases Capricorn and Cancer's gates. The three spirits dove into combat, quickly bringing an arrangement of blunt attacks on Serpent. Virgo kept her pinned the ground. Cancer snipped away at her scales and armor. Capricorn and Rebecca focused on striking her weak points.

Serpent let out an unholy roar before freeing herself from Virgo's restrictions. She swept her tail underneath Capricorn and Cancer's feet, knocking them off their feet. Rebecca returned them to the Celestial World once she realized Serpent was preparing another poison breath attack.

"Miss Rebecca, this attack will be formidable. This might affect everyone in the arena if Serpent is not careful." Virgo warned her.

"I know," The grip on her whip tightened. Her magic was low, but she still had a trick or two left to showcase. It's not over until she passes out, right?" I gotta keep fighting for my friends. I might not be the next Erza or Natsu, but I won't give up just yet. So Virgo, do you trust me?"

"With unwavering faith,"

"Then take my hand," Rebecca pleaded with her hand stretched out.

The pink-haired maiden took her hand with a swell of pride in her chest. Lucy's combat abilities have grown exceptionally ever since Sting took her underneath his wings.

"_Virgo's Star Dress Secret Art: Tectonic Rage!" _Rebecca and Virgo chanted as the Celestial Wizard's Star Dress changed into the maiden's compliment.

Ten pillars of stone erupted from the ground and surpassed the height of the arena. The ten sprouts of earth terraformed into shackles that descended upon her enemy. The first and second bond gripped Serpent by the throat and head, forcing the transforming mage deep underground. The third, fourth, and fifth bonds piled into the snake-shaped hole, binding her by the arms and waist. The sixth and seven bonds were forcibly attached to her legs and brought her to the surface. The eighth, ninth, and tenth shackles cracked the ground beneath us in half and brought forth ten mountains-worth of boulders onto Serpent's body. The rockslide eventually rolled off the Titanium's body and revealed the results finally. A weaken smile graced Lucy's face once she saw Serpent laying reduced to her basic form.

"We did it," Lucy let out a sigh of relief as she released her Star Dress. "Thank you, Virgo. I couldn't have won without your help."

"No Princess, the strength was within you the entire time. A small push was just required." Virgo claimed as she helped Rebecca to her feet upon where she noticed a detail. "Your makeup..."

Almost instinctively, Rebecca raised her hand to her face but froze when she saw a flash of pink. Her eyes shrunk when she saw her Guild emblem back. The makeup on her hand rubbed off in the chaos. Hastily, the Celestial Wizard covered her mark with her left arm. "Crap, my guild mark. Virgo, can you get me a pair of gloves again, please!"

"Very well," Virgo disappeared in a cloud of dust as Rebecca turned to Wiess.

_**One surprise after another! With a spectacular performance from Rebecca, we discover she's a Fairy Tail member as well! Is this the beginning of the rise of the Fairies!?**_

**Meanwhile on the other side of the arena...**

The White Dragon swung his leg at Loki's head but missed when the Titanium mage jumped back, narrowly dodging the attack. Wiess growled out of frustration. He followed up this assault with a breath attack.

"_Incinerate!" _Loki closed the gap between his index and middle finger and motioned his hand upward. A pillar of orangey-red fire poured out of the ground, effectively canceling out the white light.

"What? You're afraid I might break ya teeth in?" The dragonslayer sneered as he threw another punch.

"Not the least bit," The fire wizard matched the strike. "If anything, I'm afraid your skills are mediocre at best."

"Mediocre, huh?" Wiess wore a strained smile as he cracked his neck. "Let's see how long you can keep that bullshit up?"

The White Wizard closed the gap between him and his opponent. Wiess unleashed a fury of left and right light-coated punches onto the Titanium wizard. Loki matched the onslaught with his swift footwork. The flame-haired wizard jogged backward as he gracefully evaded the punches.

Once Loki's back reached the wall, the Titan grabbed Wiess by the arm. Loki lit an orb of fire in the palm of his hand and drove it deep into Wiess's stomach. The dragonslayer let out a wicked howl as he endured the pain.

The rouge mage tightened his grip on Loki's arm as well. A twisted grin distorted Wiess's face as he stared into Loki's eyes. "It takes two to play this game, bitch!"

_"Light Grenade!"_ The White Dragonslayer pushed his magic through the palm of his free hand. A blast of light blinded half the battleground, and a scream that was quickly muffled and a thud to the ground. Wiess bombarded Loki with a series of sucker punches. Once the light down, the audience discovered an unscathed Loki. The crowd erupted in overall appraisal for the Titanium wizard as Wiess stared at him dumbfounded.

"It might take two to play, but this isn't a game you can win by half-assing." Loki wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. "Either take this seriously or get ready to be sent to the hospital 'cuz I'm done with this farce of yours."

"Are ya sure? I ain't afraid of you or ya guild, so let's get that one straight. Threaten me all you want, but I can come at you with ferocity this world has never witnessed." Wiess matched Loki's glare. "I gotta ask. Are ya ready for round 2?"

A white ring of light formed on the ground around Wiess's feet. He felt an aura of light cloak his body and white flakes appeared on his skin. This power felt so comforting and familiar for Sting. The restrictions he placed on his body was beginning to feel too tight and constricting. Now, with _Dragon Force _and the two-months worth of training with Lucy, he felt a new wave of excitement washing over him.

Sting sped towards the fire mage and closed the distance in record time. Loki threw up another pillar of flames to trap the dragonslayer, but Sting felt almost nothing once he bashed his way through. The tiger slammed his fist into the Titanium mage's jaw with a force that cracked the foundation underneath them. The white mage circled behind Loki. He grabbed the fire mage's arms from behind and kneed him directly in the spine. The sound of bones cracking echoed through the arena. The cry of anguish was almost music to Sting's ears.

_"Secret Art: Burning Land!"_ A ring of fire encased the two males. The flames grew exponentially as they enclosed on them. but Sting wasn't concerned. Towers of molten land broke the surface and the air in the arena became to burn. Sting felt the embers lick his face as the attack shoved him away from Loki. Before the dragonslayer could get his footing, the heated land closed in on him. The land cooled as quickly as it appeared and effectively trapping him underneath it all.

"Secret Art, huh?" The dragonslayer raised an eyebrow before a wild grin. "Too bad for that punk, I've faced worse. _Shattering Light Cannon!"_

A roar far superior to the one displayed earlier today obliterated the roof of the earthy tomb. Wiess sneered at the shocked Titanium mage once he jumped out of the prison. For once, the dragonslayer saw fear in Loki's eyes, but he knew it wasn't directed to him which annoyed the light mage. The only one Loki should fear is me, but the flame-haired man's body didn't quake when Wiess's eyes bored into his soul. No, Loki's eyes were focused on the fight between Lucy and Serpent. Rather, Lucy's absolute victory.

"Keep your eyes on me!" Wiess roared as the rage inside boiled. This was the first real fight he had in a long ass time, and Loki wouldn't give him the decency of focusing on their damn fight. "Cuz I'm your fucking opponent!"

_"Light Magic Secret Art: Galaxy Breaking Point!_

The dragonslayer bent his right arm backward, the fist clenched and extending frontwards a mildly bent left arm with tiny streaks of light gathering around his figure. He then rushed towards Loki with a speed that the Titanium had never witnessed. The dragonslayer punched him soundly in the jaw with his right hand, which is now covered in a very massive, horizontal column of light. From the sky above, a second light sparkles before an assortment of blessed blades struck the Titanium wizard. A painful cry resonated in the air.

Once the light show died down, a satisfied Weiss stood over a weaken Loki.

_**And there you have it, ladies and gents! In an unprecedented match, the undercover Fairies, Rebecca and Wiess, toppled the Titanium duo: Loki and Serpent!**_

* * *

**September 1st, x777**

**Veilstone Award Ceremony**

**7:00 PM**

After a long trip back to the infirmary, Lucy and Sting were bandaged to the medic's satisfactions. The Veilstone Mayor gathered almost all the participates into the same room to present the winning duo their prizes. Lucy couldn't help but feel like something important was overlooked. She wanted to scan the room for a hint, but Freed and Evergreen's stares were unsettling, to say the least. The Celestial Wizard knew her screw up was a major one. The fact that the matches were televised only made it worse. There's no telling how many of her guildmates saw this. Plus, Blue Pegasus was watching, and they had a close relationship with Master Makarov.

Hold on, Blue Pegasus?

"Where's Karen?" Lucy whispered to Sting.

"I don't know. I don't see Ichiya either." He answered back. "Think they bounced during the intermission?"

"I'm not sure. Why would Karen leave though? We had a deal."

"Look, don't worry about it. We know where Scorpio is, so it's just a matter of collecting his key from her."

"I know, but why would she do such a thing?"

Lucy pondered on the thought for a moment before the detective approached them. "Rebecca. Wiess. I believe some congratulations are in order. It's not every day you witness two rouge mages topple members of Fiore's strongest guild."

"Yes, I must thank you for avenging our lost and restoring our honor." Kiriyo removed her glove and offered her hand to Lucy.

"Oh, it was nothing." She accepted the handshake. There was a small tingling sensation that ran through Lucy's arm when their hands touched. "I'm sorry that you didn't get any leads on your case."

"Oh yeah, it's fine. We were sure Thanatos and Nyx were up to something, but that turned out to be a dead end." Saisuke chuckled. "Sorry, we should cut this short. Our job is neverending, so we have to do the same."

Taking a short bow, Kiriyo followed closely behind her partner as they exited the room.

"You know...did we ever learn what magic Kiriyo uses?" Sting turned back to Lucy. "I wasn't paying attention during the first round."

"I can't say that I was either. I guess it doesn't matter." She shrugged as the mayor approached them with Luka and Rilo in tow. They were carrying the keys and a silver briefcase for the organizer.

"Wiess and Rebecca, I must congratulate you on a fantastic victory." The mayor presented Aries and Libra's keys to Lucy. "I know you will bring these two to their full potential."

"Seriously Bec, that last spell was insane!" Luka bounced with excitement. "We gotta fight one day. Wiess too!"

"Luka, at least recover your wound before asking," Rilo sighed before she turned to the dragonslayer and handed him the prize money. "I must admit. I underestimate the two of you. However, you were full of surprises."

"Yes, several surprises," Freed spoke up with his arms crossed. "I don't believe we properly met. Freed. Freed Justine of Fairy Tail."

"And, I'm the glorious Evergreen of Fairy Tail," She glared at Lucy. "We've been apart of the guild for a while now, but I don't think I ever heard anyone mention either of you before. Care to explain?"

Taking a step back, Lucy put up a weak smile. "We-Well, there's a very good explanation."

"Which is?"

"This!" Pouring the little magic she had left, Lucy called upon her newest spirit. "_Open! Gate of the Ram! Aries!"_

The fluffy ram appeared, slightly confused by the situation. "H-Huh? What happened?"

"There's no time to explain! Subdue them!" Lucy pleaded as she grabbed Sting's arm. The time-traveling duo made their escape as the Fairies screamed out for them to stop. As much as hurt, Lucy knew this was for the best. She couldn't risk them knowing the truth and possibly altering the future.

If they knew what happens, would the Thunder Tribe never form?

If they knew Master survives to the year x791, would that change the outcome of the guild's Civil War?

What would change if she told anyone the truth?

For the sake of preserving the future, she had to stay away.

* * *

**September 1st, x777**

**Veilstone Police Station**

**10:00 PM**

"I still think that we are walking to a dead end."

"Please, just continue to focus. Weiss and Rebecca aren't innocent. They have to be hiding something."

"Everyone is entitled to their secrets. Besides, we kept a secret from them." Kiriyo shot him a bored expression. "Seriously, magic enhancing drugs?"

Saisuke let out a heavy sigh as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "It was all that I could up with. Sue me for being a bad liar. Can we please get started? It's already getting late."

"Fine..."

Kiriyo removed her gloves and placed them on the nearest desk. She snapped fingers. Three holographic projection screens surround the detective duo. Each one showed a different instance in Lucy's day. Kiriyo's eyes glazed over as she investigated the different points of time. Slowly, she made a gripping motion with her hand and turned her wrist in a counterclockwise motion. The screens shifted to earlier and earlier moments in the Celestial Wizard's journey. "Interesting, why is this happening?"

"Something wrong? I thought your Touch Memory Magic was parallel to none?"

"There's one immediate red flag." Kiriyo tried to move back to passed July again, but she was faced with something unlike nothing seen before. "Her life isn't linear. I've never seen anything so abnormal before."

"What do you mean by 'not linear'?" He raised an eyebrow.

"I don't completely understand it myself, but there are jumps in her life as in breaks in the line," Kiriyo explained. "It's like someone was drawing a line with a pencil but kept raising it from the paper and beginning somewhere new."

"Can you gather anything from it?"

"Well, the screens say that she came from x791, but I am unable to see what brought her this far back." Kiriyo fast-forwarded through their training days. "They appear to have the king's blessing, so is it our place to meddle?"

"We're detectives...That's our job." Saisuke sighed. "Now, what has Rebe-"

"It's Lucy."

"Huh?"

"Her real name is Lucy Heartfilia, and if you wish to dig deep then..."

"Then...?"

"Everlue's Mansion is our first stop."

* * *

**Keys Obtained: **Cancer, Aquarius, Capricorn, Crux, Virgo, Taurus, Sagittarius, Aries, and Libra

**Keys Needed: **Leo, Scorpio, Gemini, and Pisces

A/N: I can't keep myself from the mystery genre to save my life.


	18. Haunted Screams Halloween Night!

**October 31st, x777**

**Celestina City**

**7:00 PM**

The small city of Celestina was home to Celestial Magic which excited Lucy to no end. She was standing on holy grounds and on Halloween night no less. The stars were finally aligned in her favor. Lucy bounced across the street as she took in the sights. Spirits spanning the different constellations were walking alongside humans.

In the holiday spirit, The Celestial Mage gave her keys the option of celebrating the night to their heart's content. Taurus took her offer with glee in his heart. The opportunity to see beautiful women in costumes was too good for him to refuse. Capricorn and Virgo offered to watch over the golden bull. Sagittarius took the chance to display his refined archery in some of the marksmen games with Libra in tow. The Scales spirit mentioned something about balancing potential cheating. Crux disappeared when Capricorn mentioned the history collection stored in the city's library. Aries said she wasn't too keen on wandering the streets alone, so the ram stayed close to her master. Aquarius was the only one who turned down her offer. The water bearer threatened Lucy before returning to the Spirit World.

Of course, Lucy had no means of maintaining their gate simultaneously, so she had to remind them of this. They were allowed to spend the entire night celebrating to their heart's content. If trouble arises, then they were to aid the civilians to safety and alert Lucy of the situation. From there, either Lucy or Sting would rush to their side.

"I thought were here to look for another spirit." Sting raised an eyebrow. The dragonslayer wore a turquoise vest with a white long-sleeved shirt underneath, coupled with dark cream pants and brown bucket-top boots. He also had a belt with a mini satchel attached to his side.

"We are. Crux said someone's gate was opened within this city, so we'll need to keep our eyes open for Loke, Gemini, and Pisces." Lucy answer. As for her costume, she donned a purple-themed dress with baby pink accents. The dress consisted of a lavender corset top laced with a pink ribbon. The skirt is decorated purple with swirling and floral designs in pink, dark purple, and white. Her sleeves at the top are short, puffed, and striped with pink and lavender. The rest of her sleeve was colored light pink. "Besides, it's Halloween night. Aren't you excited?! Spirits are in our world!"

"Meh, this is more of your thing." Sting gave a nonchalant shrug. "I like some of your spirits, but I ain't gonna buy a key any time soon."

"Well, I heard they are serving dishes that can only be found in the celestial world," Aries spoke up and immediately gained Sting's interest. "I'm sure some of the stands are serving our cuisines."

"Okay new game plan,-"

"No, Wiess," Lucy sweatdropped. The mischief in his eyes gave away his true intentions. "You are not ditching us for food."

"What?! My stomach was the reason we found that damn bull." He countered, sounding slightly offended by her remark.

"Yeah, and your stomach was the reason why we burn through jewels like coal on a train!"

The thought of a locomotive was enough to churn the dragonslayer's stomach. The light mage crumbled underneath the weight of his sickness. Slightly annoyed, Lucy did her best to help him walk as they navigated the streets of Celestina. It was a beautifully lit city. The decorations favored the twelve golden gates heavily. The trick-or-treaters wore costumes inspired by the zodiacs. Some of the parents went along with festivities and wore couple-inspired outfits. There were the occasional Virgo and Leo pairing or the common Scorpio and Aries wife and husband combination. Lucy was almost grateful Aquarius chose to stay in the Spirit World.

"He-Hey Rebecca, I don't know if Leo and the others are actually here," Aries quietly said as they watched a Pisces version of the traditional dragon dance. Half of the performs wore an all-white attire with matching face paint while the other half wore a midnight black outfits and the darkest possible makeup.

"It's a shame," Lucy let out a heavy sigh before scratching the back of her neck. "Crux is usually right about these kinds of things. I thought at least Loke or Gemini would enjoy the holiday. It's not every day you get a full moon on Halloween night."

"I know the Twins are known for their pranks," The pink ram muttered, trying her best to be helpful. "But, there hasn't been too much chaos tonight, so I'm not entirely convinced they're roaming the streets. Leo is a notorious flirt, so our best chance of finding him is at a bar."

"That's true. I thought Pisces would be in their human form, but now...I'm not so certain." The Celestial Wizard said with a hint of uncertainty. She caught a glimpse of three of her keys shining, almost as if they were urging her to summon one of them. Motioning for Aries to follow her to a more spacious area, they left Sting to enjoy the parade. "_Open! Gate of the Maiden! Virgo!"_

"Is it punishment time, Princess?" The maiden saluted. At this point, Lucy was ready to write 'punishment time' off as Virgo's way of saying hello.

"Virgo, I will never summon you just for punishment," Lucy sweatdropped before speaking on the matter at hand. "Was something wrong? I saw your keys shining. Are Capricorn and Taurus in trouble?"

"Nothing of the sorts," Virgo assured her. "Although, the three of us heard screams coming from the mansion on the outskirts of the city. We wish for your permission to investigate."

Lucy paused as she thought about the circumstance. "Screams? It might be a haunt attraction, but I'll investigate it. Thank you for your concerns. If I find anything interesting, I'll call you if its anything out the ordinary."

Virgo bowed once before she disappeared in a cloud of smoke. It wasn't too outlandish for someone to be screaming on a night like this. However, if her spirits were troubled by it, she could ease their anxieties. After all, she wasn't doing anything too important. By tomorrow morning, Lucy and Sting will be on their way. "How about it? Wanna check out a haunted house?"

* * *

**October 31st, x777**

**Celestina City's Mansion**

**9:00 PM**

"So, this is the place?" Sting raised an eyebrow as the three of them climbed the steps to the front door.

The mansion wasn't quite as large as Lucy's home, but it sizable house. It wasn't as luxurious as the one Lucy grew up in, but they could easily tell a pretty penny went into buying this mansion. The grayish house had two wings, one attached on each side. Each wing had three windows with the largest one in the center. From the outside, the house appeared to be abandon. A few of the windows are shattered, and others were boarded up with planks of wood.

Aries raised a curious eyebrow as she looked at her master for guidance. "Virgo said they hear screams coming from here?"

"Yeah, but I'm starting to doubt it," Sting folded his arms across his chest. "No one in their right mind would live in a place this rundown."

"True," Lucy nodded in agreement. "but, I promised Virgo and the others that I would check it out. Do you sense anything, Sting?"

The dragonslayer shot her a slightly annoyed glare before placing his ear to the door. "I hear footsteps and some quiet breathing. Well, I'll be damned. There's gotta be about three people."

"Three, huh?" Lucy frowned as she contemplated their next move. "That-"

"The hell?" The dragonslayer jumped from the door and earned two confused expressions from the girls. Ignoring us, he placed his ear back on the doorframe. "There's four now. Where the hell did the fourth one come from?"

Before Lucy or Aries could ask what he meant, a loud thud came from the second floor and was followed up by a feminine shriek. Sting gave his partner a knowing look before leaping off the porch. On the right side of the mansion, he found a window completely shatter and leaped through. Following his example, Aries and Lucy entered the house.

The ram held her master's arm tightly as they served the darkened room. Lucy poured some of her magic into one of her keys and used the light as a flashlight. Sting wrinkled his nose as he took a step back with this disgust expression on his face. "God, who fucking died? It smells like shit in here."

"Does it really smell that bad?" She asked as they entered the main hall. They found furniture wrapped in plastics sitting against the side of the door. A few suitcases fully packed rested on the staircase. "I guess someone does live..."

"Yeah, but they look like they're ready to leave..." Aries to note of the packed belongings.

"Or they died before could escape," Sting shrugged.

Lucy pinched his earlobe as she scowled him in a hushed tone. "Will you stop that?! No one is dead."

"Let's keep investigating. The second floor is where you heard those voices right?"

The Celestial Wizard climbed the stairs with her spirit and partner in tow. The screams died down once the flurry of steps stopped. As for what they could be afraid of, Lucy was at a loss. The appearance of a fourth person? What did it all mean? Surveying the second floor, Lucy counted six doors on the narrow hallway.

Placing her finger on her lips, she allowed Sting to take the lead and track down the voices. The hallway was cluttered with broken glass and different makeshift weapons. From baseball bats with nails to shattered chainsaws, Lucy began to think it was a mistake to break into this mansion. Whatever was happening here, it was clear that these people were arming themselves.

Aries became more of a shivering mess with each terrifying step. This mansion was giving her terrible vibes. Celestina City was supposed to be a home away from home for all Celestial Beings. This was there the Spirit King first touched down and allowed humans and spirits to form contracts. The citizens were friendly and welcoming to her. Some even praised her for being a golden zodiac. So why did she have this unshakable feeling? Her entire being screamed at her to run back to the comforting Celestina parade, but her heart ordered her to stay by Miss Lucy's side.

The ram felt a wrinkled finger graze over her shoulder from behind. Quickly turning, she was met with an empty space. Why? She was certain something or someone touch her, but she saw nothing behind her. Were her nerves getting the best of her? Was she truly cut out to help them? The pink ram felt slightly uneasy when she turned back Miss Lucy and Sting, but she managed to give them a small reassuring smile. The three of them continued their investigation, but Aries glance back one more time to check.

The dragonslayer opened a door on the right-hand side of the hall. His nose burned as the smell of rotten flesh and feces continued to assault the air. Sting would be damned if there wasn't a dead body somewhere in this godforsaken house. He was all too familiar with the odor given...what Future Rouge did. But why did he smell only one corpse? He was certain that at least four people were in the house right now, and there's one dead body. So why? Why didn't these three get the hell out once someone died? Clearly something is terrorizing them and yet they continued to stay. What is there to gain? Or...what is there to lose? Are they afraid of something happening?

The room had tattered posters with traces scattered across the floor. The bed had slices cutting through the mattress and scratches on the bedframe. The mirror on the wooden desk was shattered with fragments. On the far side of the bedroom, they noticed a fallen dresser. Sting lifted the frame to check the damages. Asides from the scratches near the doorknob, he thought it was still functional.

"I guess this what we heard from outside," Wiess said as he rested the furniture on the ground again.

"True, but what about the voice we heard," Rebecca surveyed the room a little more. There had to be a reason for all this. "Someone's in danger right?"

"Oh, the girl's hiding underneath the bed." He nonchalantly waved it off as a pitchy shriek gave away her position. "But back to this dresser-"

"Wiess...please," His partner sighed before kneeling to see underneath the bed. "Please come out, I promise none of us means any harm."

"Re-Really?" A quiet voice spoke up. Rebecca smiled to herself as she slid her hand underneath for the girl to grab. "Thank you,"

A girl no older than Wendy crawled out. The small teenager had a familiar facial structure to someone, but neither could remember who the girl reminds them of. Her frayed ponytails were unraveling. Somehow, the cuffs of her sleeves and the hem of her dress were torn and tattered. "I'm Yo-Yoko Agria."

"Agria? Why is that name sound familiar?"

"Yo-You've heard of us?!" The silver-haired girl shivered at the thought.

Taking the lead before the dragonslayer could let another hint slip, Rebecca reassured her that wasn't the case. "We heard the townsfolk say that this house belonged to an Agria. We were walking around the city and heard someone screaming from the mansion. Is everything okay?"

"I-It tried to drag me away," Yoko wrapped her arm around her body as she recalled the event. "It's bee-been trying to take us away all month. The rampage is getting worse ev-every day. I-I can't take the torment anymore. Ple-Please, make it stop."

"What do you mean by it?" Aries reached out to the little girl, but Yoko quickly reeled away from the spirit and behind Rebecca. The ram had taken a step back with a hint of confusion in her voice. "Huh? I do something wr-wrong?"

"I'm...not sure," Rebecca answered with uncertainty in her voice. She glanced down at the girl for an answer, but the silver-haired girl was shaken by the ram's presence. Why? Aries was anything but intimidating. "Hey Yoko, it's okay. Aries is a gentle spirit. Do you know what her superpower is?"

"N-No."

"It's wool magic, and it's super soft," Rebecca answered with a bright smile. Almost on cue, the ram gifted Yoko with a ball of pink wool.

The silver-haired girl had some hesitation in her heart but accepted the gift. She felt her body relax the tighter she clung to the wool. Yoko noticed the tension in her bones disappear and her headache's pounding dissipated. "Th-Thank you."

"It's nothing," Aries blushed at the gratitude. "Miss Rebecca, we can proceed now."

"Right," She nodded in agreement. "Hey Yoko, what are you referring to when you say 'it'?"

"The Twins..." Her voice registered above a whisper. "The Twins are tormentors! They won't let us leave no matter how hard we try. My mom calls them the warden of our prison."

"The Twins...as in Gemini?" Rebecca raised an eyebrow when Yoko nodded.

She knew Gemini was a trickster and a prankster at heart, and she accepted them nonetheless. But a tormentor? That was stretch in her eyes. Even in Angel's hands, the spirit wasn't completely evil. They still had a heart. So what could bring them to act as a warden? What is there to gain?

"Then, this makes our job easier," Wiess shoved his hands into his pockets. "We were looking for the twins anyways. Any idea where their master is?"

"Their...master?" Yoko's voice cracked from the heartache.

She wanted to give them the honest truth if it meant all the pain would disappear, but the despair in her heart made her suspicious of them. What if they tell everyone? What would happen to her family? Would Wiess and Rebecca turn their back on her if they knew the truth?

Before the young girl could decide, she heard her mother screaming from down the hall. Yoko wanted to run into her mother's arms, but the fear felt like paralyzing poison.

"Rebecca stay here!" Wiess commanded as he ran out of the bedroom. The dragonslayer made a straight shot to the master bedroom down the hall.

The dots weren't connecting his head. Could a spirit have malicious intent? If so, what can drive the twins to act in such a way? Surely they knew the consequences. If that Leo spirit was banished for indirectly killing Karen, then what punishment could they receive for their actions? Did they...Did they kill their master and wanted to cover their tracks by slaying the family? Was Gemini the reason behind the corpse?

Wiess pushed his questions to the back of mind and burst through the wooden door. The room was in ruins, probably in a worse condition than Yoko's room. There was a woman sobbing hysterically as she rocked in a fetal position. The dragonslayer was a tad hesitant to approach the woman. Comforting tearful women wasn't exactly his field of experience... unless it ended with sex. Then, he had an idea or two.

"Focus," He pinched the bridge of his nose and realigned his energy on the woman in front of him. "Er...are you...um good?"

The possible woman let out another shriek when she noticed Weiss. And, this allowed him to get a better look at her. It finally clicked for him. The shade of silver-white hair was almost uncanny. The soft facial expressions and that fair skin were all too familiar.

"Yukino..."

"Wh-What?" The woman distanced herself from him. Once she had a good look at him and calmed her nerves enough to think properly, she remembers where she saw him before. "You're that guy. The one who won that Veilstone tournament. What the hell are you doing in my mansion?"

"I heard Gemini might be this city." He began retelling her what he thought was worth mentioning and overlooking the whole trespassing thing. "Don't worry my friend is protecting your daughter."

"Oh thank goodness, I-I wanted to protect her, bu-but that _monster _chased me out," She spoke with venom at the mere thought of the blue duo. "My husband tried to fight them off bu-but they took him."

"Took him where...?" The dragonslayer placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. The mother shuddered at the thought and clamped her hands over mouth. She quickly tore away from Wiess and returned to her fetal position.

Wiess silently stared at the woman. She can't mean the Celestial World, right? Can a human even survive in there? No, he could still smell a human being, and his sense was never wrong! He wanted to ask Rebecca more about Gemini and the extent of their powers. He already resigned himself to fighting the twins, but he knew next to nothing. And yet, Wiess understood why he couldn't leave her alone again. Gemini wanted something from this family, but what?

"I'm going to regret this," The light mage carried the crying mother bridal-style back to Yoko's room. He needed to regroup with Rebecca.

* * *

**Keys Obtained: **Cancer, Aquarius, Capricorn, Crux, Virgo, Taurus, Sagittarius, Aries, and Libra

**Keys Needed: **Leo, Scorpio, Gemini, and Pisces

A/N: Thank you for all the positive reviews lately! I really appreciate the kind words! I thought it was cute to have Lucy and Sting dress up for the festivity.


	19. A Two-Sided Story!

**October 31st, x777**

**Yoko's Bedroom**

**10:00 PM**

"Mama!" The young cried out as Wiess entered the room. Upon hearing her child's voice, Yoko's mother jumped out of the mage's arms and hugged her daughter tightly.

Wiess made his way over to Rebecca and Aries. "Find anything out?"

"No," She let out an exasperated sigh. "If they're hiding something, the daughter is out of the loop."

"I see...What about ya, Aries?" The dragonslayer turned the shocked ram. "Do you know why Gemini would act like this?"

"N-No, our contracts won't allow us to harm humans unless we're commanded by our master," She mumbled. "Bu-But who would want to torment this family? It can't be Gemini."

"Whoever it is, they really want them to disappear," Wiess crossed his arms. "Apparently the dad was taken right before I got into the room. I tried asking about it, but the chick won't answer."

"So it's a sensitive topic," Rebecca thought to herself. "What the dad? Can you still smell him?"

"Yeah, If I'm not counting you, me, and Aries, I know there are three people and a corpse-"

"Cor-Corpse?!" The mother's eyes widen in alarm. She shielded Yoko's from us with her body. "Wh-What corpse are you talking about?"

Wiess paused as he frowned at the thought. "The corpse stowed away in this damn mansion. Might explaining that?"

"My friend here tried to use a botched Werewolf lacrima," Rebecca cut in when she noticed the confused expression on the family's face. "He wanted to be a werewolf, but it only gave him enhanced senses and an unsatisfiable appetite."

"So...th-that's how you knew where we were hiding?" Yoko concluded. "Wh-What are you going to do now?"

"That depends. Why are you keeping a dead body in here?" The dragonslayer folded his arms across his chest.

"We're not!" The mother shouted out her rebuttal. She was ready to lash out at the mages. First, they dare to break into her mansion, and then they dare to bring another one of those dirty spirits inside. She had half a mind to throw them in jail. But, her daughter was her number one priority. If she can get Wiess and Rebecca to aid her family, then this will a small price to pay. The silver-white haired woman took a deep breath before beginning her story. "I'm sorry. This month has been very stressful, but I can explain everything. Please...hear me out."

Weiss shot Rebecca and Aries a neutral expression. "Wanna hear what they gotta say?"

"...Yeah," She answered as the ram nodded along, "I want to know why Gemini is acting out, and if a corpse is involved, then we can't turn a blind eye."

The Celestial Wizard took a seat on the edge of the bed while Wiess sat far from the group, in the only unharmed chair in the room. Aries summoned a small cloud of pink wool as a cushion. Yoko's mother sat with her back against the backboard of the bed and her daughter sitting on her lap.

"It all began about a month and a half ago when my family finally moved into this mansion. It was my husband who bought the property and allowed his mother, Yoko's grandmother, to move in with us. While we were unpacking and settling in, his mother came across the Wa-I mean Gemini's key. From their first interaction, Gemi, Mini, and her became inseparable."

"The Twins were a wonderful addition to our family. They were extremely helpful when it came to caring for Grandma Agria: helping her walk upstairs, scheduling when she took her medication, feeding her when she couldn't do so herself, entertaining her, etc. And Grandma Agria treated them as if they were her own. But,...one day it all took a turn for the worse."

"Gemini kept transforming into me and my husband. They were impersonating changed Grandma Agria's medicine and locked her away in the attic. My husband tried to break and recuse his mother, but Gemini pushed him down the stairs in the struggle and barracked the attic's door. My husband and I tried our best to reason with the spirit. Gemi and Mini were our children, but they would _not _listen to anything! We went to the police, and they barely managed to subdue the Twin. When they broke through the barricade, we found-Oh God!"

"Miss. Agria's body," Lucy answered in a low voice. She couldn't handle hearing the mother's anguish any longer.

No, they had to bring this matter to rest. For this family's sake, Rebecca and Wiess needed to bring some justice to this family.

"We'll handle the rest from here," The dragonslayer firmly reassured the family as he rose from his seat. "There ain't a spirit in the world that can get past us!"

"Wiess is right! We'll rescue Mr. Agria from the Twins and bring peace back to your home." Rebecca nodded along with a bright smile.

Aries stared at the two with a sense of admiration. Even when facing a powerful golden gate such as the Twins, they had an air of determination around them. Meanwhile, the ram felt uncertain about the issue. On one hand, her heart went out to the family, and her master was determined to help them. So, why did she hesitate? Why did she lose her voice at the moment? Did she doubt the mother's words? Why? By the sound of it, Gemini ki- that's it!

"I need to speak to Gemini before the others can." She spoke below a whisper, wary of attracting the other's attention. The dragonslayer gave her curious brow but dismissed the thought when the ram furiously shook her head. "If Gemini killed Grandma Agria, then there's an inconsistency."

* * *

**October 31st, x777**

**Agria Mansion's Front Entrance**

**10:30 PM**

Our heroes safely brought the mother and daughter duo to the front gate of the mansion. There was no sight of the Twins as of late, but the mages were determined to unravel the location of their hiding spot. Upon her request, two of Lucy's spirits met the group at the gate.

"Thank you again, Virgo, and Capricorn!" Lucy profusely bowed. "I'm sorry that I had to cut your festivities short tonight."

"It is no problem, princess," The sea-goat merely waved as he opened the gate. "Taurus retired earlier, so we are free to aid you in any means. We are happy to be of assistance."

She apologized once again before explaining her plan to the newcomers. "I need you to keep an eye on them while we search for Gemini. I'll give you the full details when everything is over, but they need your protection in case they attack again."

"Are yo-you sure we can trust them?" The mother's eyes shifted between Rebecca and her spirit. "They might be aligned with Gemini."

"Our master's orders are the upmost factor in the matter," Virgo reassured the mother as she guided them down the road.

With the Agria female under the protection of Lucy's spirits, the trio returns the mansion's entrance room. The Celestial Mage studied the layout once more. While the home was spacious, there were only so many hiding spots.

"Hey Sting, do you smell anyone else in the house?" The Celestial wizard asked as she folded her arms across her chest. "If you can sniff out Gemini, then this will make everything a lot easier."

"Too bad, they're not in the house," He grunted while scratching the back of his neck. "They disappeared after I saved that woman."

"Gemini dis-disappeared?" Aries gasped which earned a curious eyebrow raise from the dragonslayer. The ram shuddered underneath his stare. "Di-Did I say something wr-wrong?"

"Why are you surprised? I thought all spirits can open and close their gate whenever."

Lucy opened her mouth to give the obvious answer. Golden gates are capable of doing this for days or months on end, depending on their strength. Loke, being the leader of the golden gate, can hold his gate open the longest. The rest can vary. She has seen Virgo and Aquarius open their gates voluntarily, a couple of times. And Lucy would be lying if she said Gemini can't open or close their gate freely. But, why did that bother Aries?

"We-Well, it is that Mrs. Agria's story made it sound like Gemini killed Grandma Agria, so Ge-Gemini closing his gate doesn't make sense. I might be overthinking the situation, sorry!"

"Nah, it fine. We just gotta find the husband and catch Gemini," Sting shrugged it off. "I guess we can split up and search for clues."

"I-I can take the second fl-floor. There aren't a lot of rooms left, so it sho-shouldn't take me long." Aries offered.

"Then, Sting and I will divide the ground floor." Lucy swallowed her concerns and allowed her spirit to search independently. "If you come across anything, please don't hesitate to call out. We'll come running."

"Th-Thank you, I'll try my best!" Aries nervously showed her smile before disappearing up the stairs. In her rush to escape into the darkness, the spirit overlooked the dragonslayer's watchful eyes.

* * *

**October 31st, x777**

**Agria Mansion's Attic**

**10:45 PM**

With one last glance behind her, the ram spirit scaled the ladder to the forbidden attic. If her suspicions were right, then an important clue must be in here.

The attic was more cramped than Aries expected. There were a few pieces of furniture scattered around the small space, but it wasn't the ideal living arrangement. The skyline window on the roof shined the light from the full moon into the room. In the center of the room, a figure sat peacefully in a rocking chair. To the left of the figure, Aries noticed another figure struggling on the nearby couch.

Closing the floor door behind her, the ram slowly approached the mysterious figures. Underneath the moonlight, Aries found an elderly woman slumped in her seat. Her clothes hung her body like a towel drying on a rack. A golden key rested softly on the woman's lap. The ram spirit whispered a small prayer to the Celestial Spirit King on the woman's behalf, urging the king to put her soul to rest.

To the left of the deceased woman, there was a bound-and-gagged man struggling against his restrictions. His arms were tied to the rope hanging from the ceiling. From the wrinkles on his forehead and somewhat grayed hair, Aries guess the man was somewhere in his mid-forties and possibly the missing husband. His eyes were red with dried tears on his cheeks. Upon the ram's entrance, the mystery man let out a muffled scream at the spirit before glaring at her.

Despite her senses urging her to run away. Aries slowly made her way to the man until they were eye-to-eye. The graying man thrashes violently as the ram loosens the cloth around his mouth and was immediately met with him spitting purposefully on her face. Taken aback by this, Aries wiped the saliva off and stared at the man.

"Di-Did I do something wr-wrong?" She stuttered out in confusion.

"Something wrong?" The man scoffed in a low tone before violently swinging his leg at the spirit, in hope of bruising her. "You broke into my house!"

"No, no, you got i-it wrong! My master heard screaming coming from inside, and your daughter-"

"My daughter..." His eyes dilated when he recalled the last time he saw her. A new rage filled his body as he glared furiously at Aries. "What did you do to my Yoko?! I swear if you did anything to her I will make you into a roasted ram!"

"Touch the ram and I'm breaking every bone ya got, starting with your kneecaps." Aries let out a sharp gasp when she noticed Sting and her master entering the attic. Did his screaming give away their position? The dragonslayer had a wicked grin on his face as he continued. "Come on, keep on threatening the girl. I didn't promise ya wife I bring you back in one piece, so I ain't got no problem with making ya into a punching bag."

"Weiss please," Her master sighed as she rested a hand his shoulder, signaling him to step down. Stepping forward, Rebecca spoke up again. "You must be Yoko's father. Your wife asked us to search for you, a little while ago."

He held back his slick tongue but snuck a quick glare at Weiss before answering. "...Where are they?"

"We sent your daughter and wife in the city for the time being." The Celestial Wizard responded with a heavy sigh. "Some of my spirits are watching over them."

"Speaking of spirits," The dragonslayer folded his arms as he turned to ram. "Mind telling us how you knew he was up here?"

When the pink ram realized that all eyes were on her again, she began to fidget with the purse attached to her belt. "We-Well, the thing is... I didn't. I-I was looking for Gemini because I-I had a question. I'm sorry!"

"You're fine, Aries," Rebecca quickly reassured her spirit. She, herself, had some suspicion about the situation, but the mage never expected the ram to act in secret. "But, please, come to me next time if you have any problem. I'm here for you all."

"Thank you..." The pink spirit smiled softly before she remembered her mission. "I thought the mother's story didn't make complete sense to me."

"Angela told you what happened..." The man choked on his voice as the tears filled his eyes again. Rebecca nodded slowly. "I can't tell you how sorry my wife is. The whole thing was an accident. Please don't think badly of Angela."

Weiss didn't bother resisting his urge to frown. When the story was finally making sense, this dude throws a curveball. What could make the mother sorry? Gemini killed the grandmother. The dragonslayer let out a groan once he scratched the back of his neck. Guess it's time to get a little dirty. "You know. I'm still kind of fuzzy on the detail. I would ask your wife but seeing how she's out, can you fill in the gaps?"

"Um sure, I was still on a business trip when later half happened, so I got most of it from Gemini." The father began to explain with a small sad smile on his face. "My mother and I finally saved enough to buy this mansion. It was always my mother's dream to live amongst the spirits, so I mentioned to her that a mansion in Celestia was up to sell. Putting together what she saved for vacation and what I made as a lawyer for magic guilds, we managed to pay everything upfront. Upon us moving in, my mother spoke about nothing except having a key all her own. She always wanted to befriend a spirit and spend the rest of her life along with one. And so, when I found Gemini about two months ago, words could not express the amount of joy my mother had once I gifted her the Twin's key."

"The Twins were everything that my mother could ever want. Once I explained to Gemi and Mini about my mother's heart condition, they readjusted their pranks to be milder. You have to understand that my mother couldn't take a sneak attack or a jumpscare in general. When I was explaining this, Gemini told me something important. If they accidentally killed their master, the Celestial King would banish them from the Celestial World and slowly kill them. So, the spirits and I came to an agreement. From that point on, the Twins became a tremendous help when it came to caring for my mother. I still offered a hand where I could, but Gemini, for the most part, was my mother's friend and primary caretaker. I would drive her to the doctor and refill her prescription when necessary. And the twins, they would make cook, give her daily vitamin and pills, and accompany my mother on her walks. Somedays, it felt like I had a sibling or two. I thought when we would move in, I would have to hire someone to help around, but Gemini was perfect."

"My daughter slowly took a liking to the Twins, so when my mother was sleeping, the twins would check on Yoko. I thought the four of us were grateful for Gemini. Some days my mother wouldn't have the strength to summon the Twins, so either I would do it on her behalf or the twins would maintain their own gate. Over the first couple of weeks, the twin said they had built up their resistance, so Gemi and Mini could maintain their gate for days on end. Who knew that would bite us in the ass so soon." He let out a dry chuckle.

"I had to go on a business trip towards the end of September for a case involving Phantom Lord, so I left Angela and Gemini in charge. My wife has always been hesitant to trust spirits, so I thought this was a great chance for them to bond. If they had a chance to work together, then the gap between them should've shrunk, even a little. But, when I am back, the mansion was halfway destroyed. I feared some thugs had ransacked the place in my absence, but Gemini reassured me that was not the case. According to the Twins, who were speaking faster than ever, they were screaming about how awful my wife was. Everday day since my departure, she was cold and harsh to them and refused to allow them near Yoko. Gemini said they held their tongue on my mother's behalf and continue to care for her. And yet, every day brought a new rule or change. It started with a simple bedtime and escalated every day. They said Angela forbade my mother from going outside and switched her medication to sedate my mother. When Gemini impersonated me to get it changed a few days later, apparently that caused a fight all by itself."

"From that point on, they fought about everything. My daughter and my mother were said to be the peacekeepers, but their words fell on deaf ears. According to Gemini, my wife locked my mother in the attic in retaliation of something the Twins did. When Gemi and Mini were finally able to free my mother, they went after my wife. My daughter said that if looks could kill then my wife wouldn't survive the day. I think that was when my daughter truly feared Gemini. The Twins said they found my wife at the top of the stairs. What started as another argument grew into something more physical. My mother tried to stop them from choking each other, but Gemini said that my wife backhanded her and caused her to fall down the stair..."

The father's voice broke towards the end of his story. His tears stung his eyes and the hearts of the listeners. The death of a family member always hurts, but for her to go in a painful way. The Celestial Wizard couldn't help but think about her mother and father passing as well. At the time, Lucy didn't fully understand why her mother passed, but her heart endured the pain. Her father passed away a little bit before she returned, so the scars on her heart never fully heal. Lucy knew her father loved her nonetheless.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Rebecca apologized as she hugged the weeping man.

Weiss and Aries stood off on the side as the moment passed. The ram offered a cloth to the red-eyed dragonslayer. He stared at the pink handkerchief for a moment before quietly accepting it. The spirit wiped the tears from her eyes. Gemini had the ideal life. A master who they enjoyed serving and a place to begin. It's true the life of a human is far shorter than a Celestial being, but it means little to the zodiacs when they cherish their masters. Aries understood she had to help bring Rebecca and Weiss back to their correct timeline. Still, she was happy to be alongside the duo. With the zodiacs slowly entering the picture, Aries felt the group was becoming a family, a family that wants the best for each member. The ram only wished she would be under Lucy's command in the future.

"It alright. We all had a role to play in this accident." The father frowned. "After...that my wife found Gemini and I talking. She urged me to remove Gemini from the house, calling him a monster in the process. I tried to reason with the two of them and find some middle ground to compromise with. I think that's when Gemini truly turned against my whole family. He turned in my mother and screamed about righteous retribution. He destroyed the mansion in the attempt to get us to the attic. I always figured it was some type of cruel punishment, but I never thought my mother's corpse would-"

"Well, do you know who put her in here?" Weiss raised an eyebrow.

"That's the thing. I don't know. They kept insisting that the other did it." He explained. "You gotta believe me. Oh god, it all went so wrong so fast."

"I don't think it matters," Rebecca sweatdropped.

"It kinda does. If Gemini hid her up here, then the Twins are looking for an apology. If Angela did it, that's hiding a body."

"I believe him," Aries spoke up which surprised her master and partner. "Bu-But, I don't believe your wife. I'm sorry."

"Wh-What?"

"Well, Angela said Gemini locked Grandma Argia in the attic, so she had to call the police to get the break the entrance." The ram explained. "Aside fr-from the attic's floor being completely fine, Gemini isn't here, but the Twin's key is here."

"Ya know. You keep mentioning that key. What's so important about it?" The dragonslayer said, slightly annoyed by the detail. "Yeah, the spirit king can banish a spirit for killing their master, but what does the key have anything to do with it?"

Aries's answer set an idea off in Lucy's head. "We-Well, the Celestial King removes the spirit's key from this world, so no one can forcibly close the gate,"

"According to both stories, Gemini is the only spirit in this house, so there should be only one key in the mansion." Lucy deducted before staring at the item in Miss Agria's lap. "The Spirit King would have immediately banished the Twins the moment her death was confirmed. Therefore, if Gemini's stuck in this world without his key, whose key is sitting on her lap?"

All eyes focused on the key, and yet no one could move. If the key belongs to Gemini, then the focus shifts to why Angela would lie. If the key belongs to another golden zodiac, that opens an entire floodgate worth of questions. First and foremost, who is it? Leo the Lion? Pisces the Pair Fish? Secondly, why are they here? Where did come from? Where is Gemini if not here? Did they disappear from the world already, if so what is going to happen to the twelfth key?

"It's mine," A second Grandma Agria appeared. Her figure seemed almost tired yet her eyes were burning with determination. "The key belongs to me, Gemini."

"Then, you told the truth," Rebecca whispered softly as she untied the man. "Miss Agria's death really was an accident."

Gemini snapped with a boundless ferocity in their voice. "It was murder... a murder by the hand of the wretched bitch you call a wife!"

"Yikes, those are fighting words, but I got a question that's been bugging me." Weiss crossed his arms. "What do you want out of this? Like...what is terrorizing a family going to do for you? I'm assuming Grandma Agria was your owner."

"I want to retribution for the sake of her! She has been nothing but a sweetheart to this family, and she gets shoved down the stair for it!" They continued to shout in complete anguish. "And Varian, over there, sides with the murderer!? How can you be so cold-hearted towards your own mother!? She loved you more than life itself."

"I do love her, more than you can ever imagine!"

"Cut the bullcrap! You only wanted her money!"

Aries and Lucy winced at the words thrown as Varian and Gemini's shouting match devolved into a full-blown argument. The two fought like brothers blaming each other for a broken vase. The disdain their voices weathered the bond they had. It was becoming hard to stomach their bickering, and so someone had to step forward.

"HEY!" Lucy put forth her best intimation of Erza's authoritative tone. "You were family! Varian and Gemini, it's clear to see that Grandma Agria was important to the two of you, and I know she wouldn't want either to fight. Gemini, I know you're hurting. I get it. You lost a great master but lashing out won't this problem. Varian has suffered enough. This whole family has suffered from their mistake. If you don't believe me, then transform in Varian and look into his thoughts. You might believe his words are lies, but it's impossible for his heart to do so."

The Twins clicked their tongue out of frustration. Shooting Varian one last glare, they complied with Rebecca's order. After all, once they confirmed that Varian's heart was hollow and black, there would be nothing that could stop them. From the moment the transformation was complete, Gemini had access to every important memory filed away in Varian's heart. With wicked glee, they rampaged through the cherished memories in hopes of finding something that will prove their resolve to be true.

Instead, the Twins found memories of a son going great lengths to provide for his mother. While his mother worked during the day, Varian used his free time after school to cook meals. He had the domestic chores, so his mother could relax on her off-hours. Of course, there were still a few times where Varian's inexperience cost them dinner or forced them to eat burnt food. Gemini bit their tongue to force down a chuckle. At the age of 15, Varian picked up his first job after stumbling across a stack of overdue bills. One memory after another, Gemini found his resolving cracking with each cherished memories until they reached their breaking point. The Twins spirit did bother bidding their tears as they pulled Varian in a tight embrace.

"Come on, let's put this and mom to rest," Varian smiled as he returned the brotherly hug.

* * *

**October 31st, x777**

**Agria Mansion's Backward**

**11:50 PM**

"Ya know when I agree to go on this adventure," Wiess loudly groaned as he continued to work. "I had an idea of what I'm was gonna get into. I figured the occasional monster, dark guild, and probably a few shitty train rides, but what the absolute fuck did you rope me into doing?!"

"Wiess, we are doing the Agria family a favor," His partner shot him a passing glare before tossing some dirt over her shoulder. "It's the right thing to do with everything that has happened tonight."

"But we're literally burying a dead body," The dragonslayer returned her glare with his own. "It feels like we're committing a crime."

Rebecca simply stared at Weiss with this sense of overwhelming disbelief. "I promise you. None of us will speak about tonight to another living soul."

Wiess swallowed his complaints about the moment. The dragonslayer figured he could go another year or so before seeing another dead body. Nope! He wasn't entirely sure that it was a good or bad that he didn't know the woman personally. Sting knew that he felt bad for Varian and Gemini, but was he supposed to mourn the woman. If anything, Grandma Agria died for what she believed was right. Could he say the same when it all was said and done?

With help from Varian, the three of them managed to dig out a decent-sized hole. Gemini brought a small headstone in the memory of Grandma Agria while Aries summoned a box of pink wool to place the body in. The ram offered to find a more appropriate casket, but Varian reassured her that this was the best option. After all, he wasn't his mother to rest in the cloud for all eternity, and the ram's wool was the closest in the universe. Gemini and Varian spoke a few words on their mother's behalf as Rebecca and Wiess lowered the casket into the ground. Aries presented everyone with Night Sky Petunia from the Celestial World. With a tearful goodbye from the group, Weiss and Rebecca sealed the casket in the ground.

"How do you feel now?" Aries asked Varian with a hint of optimism in her voice.

"It still hurt, but I do feel a little bit more at ease with everything." He scratched the back of his neck as he answered. "There's still a lot left to do on my part."

"Like talking to your wife," Weiss remarked which earned him an elbow to his side.

"Yes, that too," He let out a heavy sigh, internally realizing that conversation won't be easy. "What about you, Gemini? What are you going to do now? This can still be your home, but I don't know if you want to stay after everything that has happened."

"Hmm..." The Twins released their transformation and returned their original blue forms. The floating duo turned from the group and whispered to themselves for a minute before answering. "We'll hold Mama Agria in our hearts forever. She was a great master, but I think she would want us to go with a master that can help us grow as spirits. So Rebecca, can go with you?"

"I would be happy to have you along for the ride," The Celestial Wizard smiled as she held her hand out.

The small pair wiggled her fingers before returning to their key form, successfully completing the contract. "Call us day or night, we'll come to bring a smile to your face!"

"Hey Rebecca, can I ask you a favor?" Varian asked the duo as they walked to the front gates. Aries took the chance to leave as well to give the Twins a proper explanation of the situation. "I get we've only known each other for less than a day, but can you give Gemini a chance at happiness? I know they're good spirits, so I think they deserve that much."

"You have my words as a Celestial Mage!"

* * *

**Keys Obtained: **Cancer, Aquarius, Capricorn, Crux, Virgo, Taurus, Sagittarius, Aries, Libra, and Gemini

**Keys Needed: **Leo, Scorpio, and Pisces

A/N: And that marks the ninth key claimed!


	20. A Drink on Christmas Eve!

**December 24th, x777**

**Balsam Village**

**12:00 PM**

It has been roughly two months since Gemini joined the duo on their journey, and the adventure was beginning to take a toll on Lucy and Sting. From the endless searches that led to fruitless dead-ends to the infinite train rides and Sting's motion sickness, it was needless to say they were at the end of their wits. It was It's true that they became a lot closer with every day and sparring match, but the mission was dragging out longer than either expected. With how easily Virgo and Taurus appeared before them, it made sense to assume the rest would do the same. Sagittarius wasn't straightforward, but Lucy had an idea of where he might be. Albeit he was being held against his will, the Celestial Wizard was able to free him. As for Loke and Pisces, Crux wasn't having much luck in pinpointing either one's location. He reassured his master that both were in Fiore, but the specifics were still unclear. With the holiday season reaching its peak as Christmas Eve is today, they voted to settle down at Balsam Village and relax for the next few days.

"Ya know you can call me the grinch," Sting glanced around the small spa village and commented on the decoration hanging. "but I'm not really in the whole Christmas spirit this year."

"I get it," Lucy sighed heavily. "With Loke and Pisces still missing and training every other day, I kinda forgot about the holidays. We really didn't do anything for Thanksgiving."

"Yet you were hell-bent on dressing up for Halloween," He let out a dry chuckle. "I didn't think you were still into cartoons."

Slightly offending by the dragonslayer's comment, Lucy puffed her cheek as she folded her arms. "It's not like I can dress up as a princess every day. Besides, it's not like you turn down the thief costume."

"Honestly, I thought ya look kind of cute your's," The Light mage casually mentioned before entering the inn. Lucy's face turned a light crimson once she realizes what he had said. "And your Star Dresses aren't too bad either."

"Will you stop that," She lightly pushed him aside before going up to the reception desk. "Hello, we're here under a reservation for Rebecca and Wiess."

The receptionist smiled for a moment before confirming their reservation and handing the room key to Lucy. "Your room will be on the first floor and the fifth door to your left. Our apologies for any disturbance that might occur during your stay."

"...What do you mean?" Lucy was almost scared to take the key when the receptionist said that...although they did pay beforehand, so leaving might be a waste of time. "Are there fireworks for Christmas Eve?"

"Not precisely, Fairy Tail will be spending their Christmas here since Magnolia is about a mile west of this spa resort." The employee hesitantly answered. Lucy could only blind twice before her brain went into overdrive trying to comprehend how she overlooked such an important detail. "The guild has a reputation of being rowdy, so some of the other reservations were canceled as a result. Rest assure, we contacted the master and reminded him that any damage will be billed to them, in regards to the building itself, staff, and patrons."

"Then, we got a day before they come?" Sting raised an eyebrow to which the receptionist shook his head. Before the employee could give a real answer, the dragonslayer left him hanging with an indifferent shrug. "I guess it doesn't matter. It will be a nice change of pace. Right, Rebecca...Rebecca?"

The Light Mage snapped his fingers in her face as an attempt to snap her out the daze but quickly realized that method wouldn't get him far. Sting grabbed the key out of Lucy's hand and carrying her to the room for the sake of privacy. The dragonslayer slid the door open with his foot. The room was more spacious than he originally thought. Aside from the bathroom to the left of him, there wasn't much in the room. The floor had wooden tiles evenly divided by a long black line. There were two pastel-colored futons prepares for the duo, a small fridge filled what he presumed was alcohol and a small table with a couple of cushions in the center of the room. Two robes were folded on top of the table for them to change into. There was no real back wall since there was another sliding door with a small lock on the inside.

Sliding the door closed, Sting placed his companion near the table and walked to the bathroom. He found two glass cups and filled them with the water from the sink. Before exiting the bathroom, he tossed a towel over his shoulder. The dragonslayer casually drank from one of the glasses. Once he finished his drink, the tiger placed the empty cup on the top of the fridge and splashed Lucy with the other one. Quickly covering his ears, the dragonslayer managed to muffle out the bulk of Lucy's scream before she tackled him to the floor.

"Why did you that?!" She shrieked with a hellish fury in her voice.

"You were out of it for like fifteen minutes!" He countered. "I tried snapping, and that didn't work!"

"So you jumped to throwing water in my face?! Do you know how expensive this was?!"

"It ain't like I can punch you! I'm not spending fucking Christmas in jail for domestic violence!"

"There were other methods!"

Lucy's screaming pierced his eardrum which annoyed the dragonslayer. After effortlessly tossing the Fairy off his waist, he threw the towel at her face to give her a chance to cool off and clean up a little. After a quiet moment passed, Lucy managed to collect her thought properly. "I think we need to leave before my guild comes."

"Like hell," Sting frowned. "We got this place booked until January 2nd."

"But Freed and Evergreen probably told Master about my guild mark. So if they see us here, they're gonna start asking questions." She clutched her head once another major realization hit her. "Dear Mavis, Master might kill me if he thinks I'm impersonating a Fairy Tail member. Natsu almost killed Bora for committing that crime. What if Master Makarov tries to fight us? We can't win against a Wizard Saint!"

"I doubt it," He sweatdropped. Makarov might be upset, but the dragonslayer doubted the old man would kill them. It ain't like they were tarnishing the guild's name. "Look, we just gotta be a little bit more careful about when we leave the room. They're kids right, so there are certain areas that are off-limits. Besides, if it comes down to a fight, I know we can kick all their asses."

"Is this your way of rematching Natsu?" She sweatdropped at his last comment.

Although, there might be some merit to what the dragonslayer was saying. They were hiding from the present-day Fairy Tail, not the one fourteen years in the future. So, her team hadn't reached their potential yet. Lucy wasn't entirely sure that Erza and Mira were S-Class Wizards at this point. Laxus was a possibility, and she was certain Guildarts. But, Cana's father rarely was in Magnolia, so they might avoid a fight with him entirely. A chill went down her spine when she thought about fighting that Behemoth.

"Nah, but I might steal some of his fire," The Sabertooth mage sneered with a hint of excitement in his voice. "How does the 'Holy-Flame Dragonslayer' sound?"

"You'll just burn your tongue." Lucy waved the idea off as walked into the bathroom for a quick shower. "And, there's nothing in the Spirit World that can help ya with that."

* * *

**December 24th, x777**

**Balsam Village's Inn**

**1:00 PM**

Lucy finished tying the customary robe around her figure. The shower gave her a chance to rethink the situation with a sense of clarity, and she leaning more towards stay through New Years'. She based this conclusion on two crucial pieces of evidence. For one, Freed and Evergreen discovered Lucy's guild mark months ago. And yet, no one came after them. None of the light guilds attacked either of them. There were no signs of a bounty on for their capture, and no one tried to bring them to justice.

And two, there wasn't a refunding option.

Exiting the bathroom, Lucy found that Sting had changed out of his usual clothes and into the robe provided...well half-dressed. The dragonslayer tied the robed around his waist but left his upper body exposed. He sat at the small table placed between the futons with a bottle of sake in his hand. "Isn't it a bit early to be drinking?"

"It ain't like we can go Christmas shopping. All the stores are packed," He shrugged indifferently. "Besides, I built my tolerance up. Want some?"

"I probably shouldn't. The last time I drank...I sorta blacked out." Lucy was a tad hesitant with her answer. "I can't hold my liquor like Cana."

"There's a handful of people who can drink that girl under a table, and I know I ain't one of them," Sting sneered to himself before taking another shot. "Orga or Lady Minerva might have a chance. Rufus can do it if wine's involved."

"I didn't take you all to be the type to drink, especially Minerva," She raised an eyebrow out of curiosity and took a seat on a nearby cushion.

The Sabertooth mage let out a hearty laugh before pouring two drinks. "Oh please, our master's a tyranny, and everyone's trying to one-up each other. It's not like we're alcoholics. We're just trying to forget about our lives sometimes."

"Hey Sting... when all this is said and done, do you want to join Fairy Tail?" She asked and received a curious brow from the dragonslayer. "I know that's kind of a loaded question, but if you're unhappy in Sabertooth, then Fairy Tail might be a better fit for you."

"I can't." He responded before downing his drink. Sting tightly gripped the glass but barely restrained himself from crushing it. "I've done too much shit to become a Fairy. There are some things that can't be forgiven."

"There's noth-"

"I killed my guild master,"

"What?"

Lucy stared at Sting with disbelief in her heart. The Holy Dragonslayer grimaced at her reaction and silently poured a third drink for himself. From what Yukino and Sting said, Jiemma sounded like a dictator in every way possible. The air in the room thickened with uncomfortable silence. The sabertooth mage continued on, slowly becoming indifferent about her reaction. Lucy saw the light draining from his eyes with each shot. Watching Sting drink felt different than when she watched Cana down barrels. It was almost surreal. The pain in his heart clear, but there was only one thing she could manage to say.

"Why?"

"What?" Sting lowered his glass from his lip.

"Why...Why did you do it?" She repeated with more emphasis on needed an explanation. While her mind couldn't comprehend, Lucy knew to speak from her heart. "I might not know you as well as Lector or Rogue, but I know you wouldn't willingly kill someone. There has to be a reason."

"Are you sure wanna know..." He hesitated with his words.

Although he couldn't put his finger on it, there was something about Lucy that draws him in. Something that compelled him to tell the truth. Was it her natural compassion? Did he fuck up and fell for the Fairy? Or did the alcohol drop his inhibitions? Whatever it was, he can deal with the consequences later. "Fuck...After we lost to Natsu, Jiemma laid into us. I got it worse because I lost on the second day, and Lector, fucking Lector, tried to defend me. He knew that Jiemma was a man to fear, but Lector had my back. And, Jiemma vaporized him for it. I don't have to fill in the rest right? You're a smart girl."

"Oh Sting... I'm sorry."

"Meh, it's fine. Minerva saved him before Jiemma finished the job." Underneath his breath, he bitterly mentioned the part about her holding him hostage. "I got him right before the world fucking ended. I can't catch a break. I still don't know what Imma gonna do about that?"

Lucy asked another question as she eyed the half-empty bottle. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"When we get to our time, are we suppose to make sure everything that happens actually happens? Like is Raven Tail supposed to get suspended on the third day? Should Minerva do what she did? Should...Should I kill Master Jiemma again?"

"I... I think we should try our best to change the future into a better one." Lucy answered, but ultimately avoided his question. Master Jiemma was a horrible guild master, yet was that enough for her to say yes? Albeit she never met the man, Natsu and Sting didn't exactly paint him as a good person. "We might be able to change his way of thinking,"

"Leave it to the Fairy to suggest that." Sting rolled his eyes as he pushed a shot glass in front of Lucy. "Now, drink. I ain't finishing this bottle alone."

The Celestial Wizard stared intensely at the glass while weighing her option. "I'm going to regret this."

She tried to knock the drink back with tasting the bitterness too much. Even though the glass in her hand was cold to the touch, Lucy felt a wave of warmth begin to spread across her face and slowly dissipate through her body. Her throat burned once the drink finally reached her stomach. She let out a couple of coughs to Sting's enjoyment.

"Not bad Hearts," He playfully jeered while drinking from his glass. "You didn't pass out from the first drink."

"Hearts, huh?" For a moment, Lucy tapped her finger on her chin as she weighed how she felt about the nickname. "It's cute. I like it."

The dragonslayer's lip curled upwards a little at the compliment. "How ya feeling? Do you want another one?"

"Sure, why not?" She shrugged indifferently before passing the glass back to her partner. What's the harm of drinking a little? Who cares if she was a tad tipsy afterward. It was the holiday season, so everyone would have a drink tonight, right. There was nothing with dropping her inhibition a little. "I got nothing to lose."

Sting smiled goofily as he watched Lucy begin to sway a little in her seat. He was curious about what was her limit, so the dragonslayer poured her a second drink. Of course, he wouldn't let the girl get blackout drunk, just drunk to have an idea of what kind of drunk she was. "That's the spirit!"

"Hey Sting, can I ask a question?" The Fairy asked after gulping down the refill. Lucy noticed this drink didn't burn as badly as the first. A rosy blush crept onto her cheeks as her mind wandered. Novel ideas and past memories flooded her mind until she thought of a familiar name. "What am I doing wrong?"

"Whatcha mean?" He traced his finger around the glass's rim.

"I mean with Natsu." She let out a depressed sigh. "I tried everything to get his attention, and nothing works. He treats me like family, but I want more. I...want his love."

"Then, you just gotta make him jealous. What dragonslayer would want to see their girlfriend with another man?" Sting jokingly said before taking another sip. He glanced up at Lucy and noticed the way she stared at him. There was a hidden desire buried in her eyes. "Er, Hearts?"

"Neh Sting," She spoke in a sultry tone while slowly crawling towards him. "Can you help me with that? I know you want this too..."

The dragonslayer turned his head away when he noticed how lowcut her robe was. Her, um, assets weren't on full display, but a blush did grow on his face when he caught an accidental eyeful. Honestly, six months he would've jumped at the chance at banging Natsu's girl. But now...he couldn't think about it without grimacing. Fuck, did he grow a conscience? Turning his focus away from Hearts, Sting closed the bottle and started to clean a little. "Ooookay, you had enough for today."

The Sabertooth mage managed to wipe the glasses before he heard a light sobbing coming from behind him. Sting groans softly under his breath before he turns back to Lucy. The poor girl had curled herself in a ball on the floor and was crying her heart out. Sting sits down next to his partner and places a cold water bottle from the fridge in front of the lightweight. "Come on, what's wrong Hearts?"

"What?" Lucy hiccups whilst trying desperately to wipe the tears away. "The fact I got rejected by the self-obsessive pervert! The fact that I'm going to die alone!"

Sting rolls his eyes and ignores the blatant insult. "I wasn't about to advantage of you when you're like this,"

"Oh please," Lucy scoffs as she tries to sit upright. The Fairy sways a little before she leans on her partner for support. "You're not that chivalrous. You joke about my looks just to get a reaction of out me."

"If I wasn't a gentleman, you'd be screaming my name right 'bout now." He confessed. "Besides, I'm not lying about what I said earlier. You got everything a man could ever want. Natsu has to be one dumb motherfucker for him to friendzone someone as beautiful as you."

"Aw, you do care!"

"Now finish this water bottle, or you'll be dehydrated," Sting suggested as he left to prepare a cold shower. He knew it will be a while before all the alcohol her system so that a second shower might wake her up a little, the colder, the better. Once he decided the water was cold enough, the dragonslayer came out the bathroom tossed a fresh towel at the girl. "Do you think you handle showering alone, or do I need to get Virgo?"

Lucy let out an offended huff as she stood up. She managed to hit her knee against the table, but she could someway stand on her feet. "Hey, I think can handle something as small as taking a shower. I'm not a child."

"Alright, who comes when I say 'Open! Gate of the Twins!"

"Taurus!"

"What about 'Open! Gate of the Golden Bull!"

"Cancer!"

"How about the Crab?"

"Sagittarius!"

"Hmm, what about the Archer?"

"Easy Capricorn!"

"Yep, I'm getting Virgo," Sting decided as he approached Lucy. He got halfway before the maiden appeared on her own. Before the spirit could ask for punishment, the dragonslayer spoke first. "Do you mind helping her take a shower? I'm gonna step out for a minute and get us some food."

"Very well, Master Sting," Virgo bows before leading her true master into the bathroom. The maiden closed the door, so Lucy can change in peace."And, thank you. I know Princess appreciates what you did for her."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," He waved it off whilst exiting the suite. "Had I gone through with it, I'm sure Aquarius would've drowned me. I'll be back."

* * *

**Key Obtained: **Cancer, Aquarius, Capricorn, Crux, Virgo, Taurus, Sagittarius, Aries, Libra, and Gemini

**Key Needed: **Leo, Pisces, and Scorpio

**A/N:** Lowkey, I'm debating on how I want to do the GMG. I know that I want to change up some of the matches because we were robbed. I would've taken Gray v. Lyon over Rufus v. Eve any day of the week, but I don't want to spend all my time choreographing fights when the focus should be on Sting and Lucy. I know that I'll figure something out, but y'all have a match you want to see happen, write it in a review. I'll try to add it to the roster.


	21. A Guiding Light!

**December 24th, x777**

**Curry in A Hurry**

**5:00 PM**

After wandering the streets for thirty minutes, Sting found himself outside a small restaurant stored away in one of the resort's corner. The sweet and savory scent alone was enough to entice the dragonslayer. The meaty smell caught him ever since he left the hotel, and the sweet aroma of fresh coffee interested him.

The Sabertooth mage entered the restaurant and was immediately overwhelmed with the scent of grounded coffee beans. He noticed the wall of assorted beans and a few authentic coffee makers placed on the counter. The dimly lit restaurant had a small bar counter with five stools and a handful of cushioned booths. Given how small the cafe was, Sting was pleasantly surprised there were three employees still working. The oldest was clearly the man with a slick back black hair and a slight hunch to stature. To the owner's left stood an orange-haired teenage girl that wore a pair of headphones around her neck. To his right, there was a messy black haired guy, around Sting's age, that was the only one actually wearing an apron. Sting couldn't tell if they were related or close coworker, but their scents were ingrained into together.

"What can I get for you today?" The man standing behind the corner couldn't have been any older than forty smirked as Sting took a seat at the closest stool.

"Can I get six plates of curry, wait! Seven, I got to get a plate for her," Sting ignored the eyebrow raises coming from the guy in the apron. "Do you got anything for a hangover too?"

"I think we got what you're looking for. Akira and Sakura, think you can handle the curry?" The owner chuckled to himself as the two nodded along before they got to work. "Is the coffee for you or your friend?"

"Both," He groaned. "I didn't think she'd be a lightweight. "

The boss smiled to himself as he stared at the wall of coffee beans. "Ah youth, I remember those days. It's good that you're caring for your girl."

"Wh-What?" Sting sputtered out while a light blush appeared on his face. "We're just friends. Nothing more!"

The owner sarcastically reassured the mage. "Hehe, alright. You're just two friends spending Christmas Eve alone at the spa resort."

"I'm serious. Besides, it's clear that she already has someone else in mind," He retorted with a slight glare. "I'm sure that if she could be with him, she would."

"Do you want to be more than friends?" The older man asked while loading the coffee maker.

The dragonslayer glowered at the restaurant owner. It didn't really matter what he wanted. Lucy made it clear that she wanted Natsu, and only him. Not only that, but they also came from two different guilds, so Sting doubted they'll stay in touch when the mission is finished. Hearts, the girl, was too comfortable with being a Fairy to join a guild like Sabertooth, and Sting was too fucked up to join Fairy Tail. And yet, a part of his heart clung onto hope.

"I don't know. I don't want this to end, but we gotta get back to our lives," Sting answered bitterly. Leo and Pisces will eventually cross their path, and Sting will have to face Future Rouge and the truth. Traveling Fiore with Lucy has been fun, really the most fun he had in a long time. All of their problems were the size of dimes when he was beside her. Nothing was impossible with her. She taught him how to care for a guildmate, and he, in return, saw her grow exceptionally combat-wise.

"I'm sure you will come to a decision one day," The boss suggested as he placed two coffees in front of the dragonslayer. "Just make sure you're not too late. Love waits for no man."

"Thanks," He mumbled in a low tone while tracing his finger around the cup's rim.

The dragonslayer lost himself in his thoughts again. Sting knew she was truly one of a kind and almost irreplaceable but was it right for him to stay once everything was said and done? Eventually, the mission will end, and they'll have to return to their normal lives. Where would that leave them? They've shared dark secrets and emotional moments, so they were passed the point of being simple acquaintances. Calling Hearts a friend hurts too much to say aloud, so what was there?

"Hmm? It looks like we have another customer." The owner's voice brought Sting back to reality.

An extremely short, elderly man entered the hidden cafe. He had a thick white mustache and wore an orange hoodie, a matching pair of shorts, and a blue and orange jester hat. Sting almost dismissed the man entirely, but his eyes locked onto the fairy tail mark printed on the man's white t-shirt. The dragonslayer groaned underneath his breath as he turned away from the newcomer.

"Ah Makarov, you brought the brats to the resorts, or you ditching them for the holidays?" The boss showed off a more mischievous smile as the guild master took the seat to the left of Sting.

"If I left them alone for the holidays, I wouldn't have a guild to return to." Makarov joked. "They might be young, but I'm sure they'll mellow out as the years go on. How are Sakura and Akira doing these days?"

"Akira's visiting for the Christmas season, so, of course, I put him back to work." The owner chuckled as he poured some coffee for his friend. "Sakura's learning the ropes, but she's getting the hang of the routine."

"Hehe, I think it was the right choice to bring Akira here to you, Boss."

Their conversation devolved into two old friends catching up. Sting half-heartily listened, careful not to draw too much attention to himself. The dragonslayer sipped on his coffee and silently appreciated the taste. The coffee wasn't too strong in his opinion but was enough to wake his senses. The drink went down smoothly. Sting was tempted to ask what was in it but, instead, tasted Lucy's coffee. Her drink had a faint aroma of coffee beans, and the flavor was creamer than his drink. The extra ingredients masking the coffee beans. Sting placed the top back on her drink and wrinkled his nose in slight disgust.

"Here, you go," Akira appeared by Sting's side with two tied bags of curry in his hands. "Merry Christmas, sir."

"Er, you too," Sting grabbed the bags whilst trying to juggle the coffees. Normally, he would down half his food right there, but he didn't want to stick around Makarov too long. "Thank you."

"Are you sure you can carry all that?" Master Makarov raised an eyebrow before pausing for a moment. "Actually, I'll lend a hand, Wiess."

"You two know each other?" Boss questioned, and Makarov was quick to nod in approval. "Wiess and his partner, Rebecca, participated in the Veilstone Tag-Team Tournament, and Rebecca is a Fairy Tail member. I will be having dinner with them tonight. Isn't that right, Wiess?"

"Yeah..." Sting answered and resigned to his fate. The Fairy Tail's master tone was enticing yet had a very intimidating undertone. The dragonslayer was slightly concerned about what would happen if he said no.

"I'll see you later, Boss. Merry Christmas to you all," Makarov waved them goodbye as he grabbed the coffees. "Come on along Wiess, we have to meet Rebecca."

* * *

**December 24th, x777**

**Balsam Village's Inn**

**7:00 PM**

Sting glanced back at Master Makarov. The dragonslayer took a deep breath before knocking on their room's door, "Hey Rebecca, are ya decent?"

A moment of silence passed before the trio heard footsteps approaching the main door. With the door unlocked, the maiden appeared at the entrance. "Master...Weiss, you brought a guest...?"

"Yeah Virgo, I got careless. How is Rebecca hold up?" He hung his head in shame before turning to a more important topic.

"Master Rebecca is recovering. I may I ask who this gentleman is?" The spirit slightly tilted her head to the left as she studied the Fairy.

"This is Master Makarov, the master of Fairy Tail, and he would like a word with the two of us," Sting answered in a strained voice.

Wordlessly, the maiden spirit assisted the dragonslayer with the bags in his hands and allowed the gentlemen to enter the room. Lucy was back at the same table and drinking another bottle of water. Some playing cards were scattered around as if they were in the midst of a game. The Celestial Mage had changed in a simple black pair of leggings and a matching tank top. Sting gave Lucy a half-hearted wave as Makarov came into view. Lucy felt her heart stop when the grinning master made himself comfortable. She stared Sting, desperate for an answer, but he could only mouth 'I'm sorry'. The Fairy found herself absentmindedly shaking her future father figure's hand while she gazed at him.

Sting let out a deep sigh before he helped Virgo with the food. A moment of silence passed as the two became to place the food at the table. Master Makarov thanked the duo for their effort as Lucy stared at the curry. After distributing the coffees, the dragonslayer found his spot at the round table, between the Fairies and across from Virgo.

"Boss has certainly taught them well," The short man praised the shop owner as he took another bite. "This curry is delicious!"

"Are...Are you serious," Sting sweatdropped. "What? Is this way of torturing us?"

"Hmm? Boss is a professional chef, so of course, his prodigies would mirror his abilities,"

"So, you blackmail me into bringing you back here, and you wanna talk about curry? Seriously?"

Makarov let out a tired sigh before placing his plate back onto the table. "One day, the young will learn some patience. Very well, allow me to propose a question. What you believe is going through my mind right now?"

"How do I hide two bodies?"

"Wh-No," Master Makarov frowned. "I won't hide that I'm upset. How do think a father feels when his daughter refuses to visit him?"

Lucy blinked twice as she tried to process the words she heard. "I'm sorry...what? Master Makarov...what are you saying?"

"Well my child, I'm saying that you should visit Fairy Tail more often. Did you honestly believe I would mistake your mark for a forgery?" Makarov let out a mischievous chuckle once he noticed the dumbfounded expression the two travelers had. "Ah, that truly never gets old."

"...I... I have several questions," Lucy raised a shaking hand and continued on once she had everyone's attention. "So, you knew? For how long?"

"Roughly six months, after all, I have tracing magic embedded in every guild mark. Imagine my surprise when I noticed a new one under the name, Lucy Heartfilia who happens to be a Celestial Wizard." Master twisted his mustache as he spoke fondly to his child. "Of course, I know what towns you stay and for how long. After news of two unaffiliated mages took down the Casino in the Stratosphere and uncovered a human trafficking ring, I realized something. You're collecting the twelve zodiacs, correct? Why?"

Sting let out a frustrated groan as he scratched the back of his neck. "Geez, I thought we being sneaky too. I guess there's no need to beat around the bush, huh? Are you sure you can handle the truth? It's kinda wild."

"Young man, these old ears have heard many of stories. Nothing less than Zeref's death will surprise me."

"Alright, but if ya lose a year off your life, it ain't my fault," Sting muttered to himself as he wiped the makeup from his hand and revealed Mavis's signature mark to guild master's surprise.

"Master...A lot has happened. In our future, someone opens a very powerful artifact called the Elipse Gate, which allows the user to time travel. This person chose to bring ten thousand dragons to the year x791, and...the two of us are the only ones to survive. The First sent the two of us back in time with a mission: To prevent this ruin from occurring. However, when we time travel, we overshot our destination by fourteen years. So, we are trying to find the twelve zodiacs and return to our correct date." Lucy submitted the entire truth. "I'm sorry for keeping this from you. But we couldn't risk manipulating the future."

Makarov held the Celestial Wizard's hand as a sincere smile grew on his face. "There's no need to apologize, child. I understand the need for precaution. Time travel is always messy. Besides, you're not the first time travelers I've met."

"Excuse me? What is that supposed to mean?" Sting frowned. "How many times has this happened!?"

"A number greater than one but less than infinity." Makarov's smile turned slightly mischievous before he cleared his throat. "But, I must ask for your name, and please do not say 'Wiess'. From the tracker alone, I know 'Rebecca' is an alias, so it must follow that Wiess isn't your real name."

"...Sting Eucliffe, the Light Dragonslayer and a third-generation breed." He answered in a defeated tone. He truly underestimated the old man. It felt like Makarov was five steps ahead of them without either of them noticing. "So, what now? You got the information out of us."

"Another dragonslayer, huh. Very well, report to the guild on January 2nd of the new year." The elderly master rose from his seat and straightened his clothes. "I have an old friend that wishes to speak with you two. Also, it seems you have caught the attention of some detectives. You must remain diligent with keeping your identities a secret."

Lucy frowned as she tried to think about his warning. "Wait, detectives? Do you mean Detective Saisuke and Kiriyo? Why do you know them?"

"They paid the guild a visit shortly after Veilstone tournament. Apparently, the detectives found you worthy of investigating, and they certainly learned a significant amount. Detective Saisuke offered the option of placing a bounty for forging an official guild's mark." Makarov shook his head. "I declined, but I'm afraid that you're still being investigated. Avoid those detectives at all costs. If they can pinpoint your location, then I'm certain they'll move in for an arrest."

"That's bullcrap! We haven't done anything wrong!" Sting slammed his fist against the coffee table. "Why are they trying to arrest us?!"

"On the counts of trespassing on Everlue's property, 'forging' a guild mark, and underage gambling," Makarov Dreyar answered. "I suspect that one of them used a spell to undercover this information. Nevertheless, you do not have to worry about the detective knowing that we've spoken today."

"How can we be sure?"

"Sting!"

"It is fine, child," He raised a hand. "I will support you as much as I can. My old friend will help you find another key, Pisces I believe."

"Thank you, Master," Lucy politely bowed before him. "Thank you for your kindness. Words cannot describe how grateful I am for everything you've done for us, today."

"Hold your head high and continue on your path. Though we might diverge for a moment, the day we truly reunite will come again. Until then, live as if today is your last and smile brightly." Makarov proclaimed with a bright smile before he exited the room. "I must be on my way. I left Laxus in charge of the boys, and I have the sneaking suspicion that Natsu and Gray are fighting again. You're more than welcome to visit us during your stay but keep your alias. Your real names will be a secret between only us."

The duo shared a moment of silence as they tried to process what just happened. Master Makarov seamlessly shattered all of their expectations, and Sting couldn't stop himself from comparing Makarov to Jiemma. The Wizard Saint effortlessly controlled the conversation without the need of fear or violence and put all their worries to sleep. A weight of uncertainty was lifted off his chest, and he can breathe a little better. And...it was a nice change of pace, for once. Sting, for once during the entire trip, felt like he was a part of something greater than himself, a family.

"I get it," The Sabertooth smiled.

The Fairy turned to him with a raised brow. "Huh? Get what?"

"I get why y'all fought so hard during the game. I get why I couldn't beat them that night," He explained whilst placing his hand on his heart. "Y'all weren't fighting for the glory or the title itself. It was for those who suffered those seven years, and Makarov taught you all that. Fight for everyone who wears the mark."

"We might fight and bicker every day, but when the chips are down, Fairy Tail will always protect their kind," Lucy reassured him. "Master Makarov did a great job instilling that into our hearts, but why do you ask that?"

"I don't know. I was expecting him to scream at us for well everything, but Makarov was chill about everything." Sting admitted. "Jiemma could really take a page out of his book."

Lucy let out a small laugh as an idea popped up into her head. "Come on, how about we check out guild as kids? I'm sure Mirajane will surprise you."

"What? The model?" Sting asked, slightly interested. "How much can she change? What, did she take care our everyone else or something?"

The Fairy grabbed his hand and quickly lead him out the door. The night was still young, and there was still much to do. The uncertainties of the future were forgotten, and neither of them was upset about it. Their worries and concerns faded away underneath the moon's light.

* * *

**A/N: Lowkey keeps thinking about a Persona 5 and Fairy Tail Cross Over for no real reason. And, I can't focus without thinking about the idea of seeing Yusuke v Gray, Joker and Morgana v Natsu and Happy, Ann v. Lucy, Makoto v Erza, Ryuji and Futaba v Wendy and Carla, Haru and Violet v Juvia and Lisanna. I really think this is about to be a whole side project.**


	22. Eclipse Cannon!

**January 2nd, x778**

**Fairy Tail Guild**

**12:00 PM**

Christmas had come and gone in the blink of an eye, and new years was the same. As promised to Master Makarov, the duo arrived at the guildhall shortly after checking out. Lucy smiled softly as she stared at the old building. Memories of her first few months as a Fairy flooded her mind along with her first impressions of everyone. She had come a long way since first joining, not only combative-wise but as a person. Whether it was accidental or not, Lucy found herself holding her head higher with each passing day and becoming more strategic. Of course, the Celestial Wizard wasn't as confident as Erza or some others, but it was still a noticeable difference.

"Ya good?" Sting raised an eyebrow. "You're crying again."

"Oh, I'm fine, just a little nostalgia," Lucy reassured him as she wiped the tears away. "Come on, we shouldn't keep Master waiting."

The Celestial Wizard pulled open the grand doors and exposed the interior to Sting. While Fairy Tail kept its door open to the public, it was rare for someone outside the guild to visit, given everyone's...exciting tendencies. Lucy was relieved to know the inside remained relatively the same when she first joined, give or take some tables.

Upon their arrival, Natsu and the other children rushed towards them with excited eyes. Although they weren't allowed to disclose their real names or purpose, it was nice to see her friend's faces again. Aside from Freed, Evergreen, and Bickslow, the guild took their presence fairly well.

Natsu was quick to throw a flaming punch at the Light Dragonslayer but easily swatted away. Gray and Mira laughed at their rival's pain without realizing the ice wizard lost his shirt in the process. Erza shook her head in disappointment as Lissanna, Levy, and Elfman checked on the small boy. Laxus stood a good yard away from the group, but his eyes never wander away from Sting. For better or for worse, Laxus had deemed Sting and Lucy worthy of his suspicion.

While the two settled at a nearby booth, Lucy noticed a bashful Natsu and a wide-eyed Lisanna approach them. "Well, good morning you two, did you enjoy your New Years?"

"Yeah! Gramps let us play with firecrackers!" The fire dragonslayer happily exclaimed. "They tasted so good!"

"Natsu, you weren't supposed to eat them." Lisanna shook her head as she lightly reprimanded her friend. "Cana and Gray didn't get the chance to enjoy the festivities."

Natsu reassured her with a toothy smile. "It's fine. Once I find Igneel, then that pervert and Cana will see a real fire show!"

"Okay Natsu, but remember to play nice with the others until then," Lucy ruffled his hair. She knew her words would fall on deaf ears since he was still too young to understand. "Both humans and spirits deserve your kindness."

"Spirits?" The little dragonslayer blinked twice out of confusion. "Like a ghost?! I wanna see one!"

"Natsu, I think she means Celestial Spirits." Lisanna corrected. "Like the ones Levy was telling us about!"

"Either way, I think I know two spirits who would love to meet you all," Lucy smiled as she brought two golden keys out from her pouch. "_Open! Gates of the Twins and Ram! Gemini and Aries!_"

On cue, the two zodiacs appeared, and Lucy saw the children's eyes widen with excitement. The fairy children were drawn the Twins and Rams, and Gemini was quick to throw themselves into entertaining the guys with their transformation magic. Aries was a bit hesitant, but she warmed up to the quieter kids.

"Your magic container has grown a lot," Sting commented as he watched the children play. "Two spirits without batting an eye?"

"Ever since I mastered six of my Star Dresses, summoning spirits have gotten much easier," She answered sincerely. "Also, I'm getting close to beating you."

"Just wait until I throw White Drive into the mix. You'll be begging for mercy."

In the midst of the usual chaos and chatter, Macao called down Master Makarov from his office. The elderly man stood at the top of the second floor and watched the developing situation. "Ah, Wiess and Rebecca, welcome! We can talk more in my office."

Lucy glanced at Aries and Gemini one last time before following behind Sting. Her spirits were tough, so she didn't have much to worry about. Gemini would naturally gravitate towards harmless pranks, and Aries would, no doubt, appeal to the gentle souls with her wool clouds...if only all her spirits were this cooperative.

The Celestial Wizard locked the office door before glancing at the Makarov's third invited guest. To Master Makarov's left, there was a relatively young orange-haired man. He was around Gray's size, in terms of height and physique, but looked fashionable in his elegant dark suit, with the jacket left unbuttoned and the loose pants held up by a light-colored belt, over a lighter shirt with a zebra-striped tie. Lucy let out a soft gasped when she recognized the man.

"Loke," Lucy stumbled backward when the name left her mouth and almost lost her footing in the process. "I-I'm sorry. I meant Leo...Leo the Lion. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Ah, the pleasure is mine," Loke purred as he studied Lucy. "Makarov, you never mentioned the Celestial Wizard was a belle."

"It seems she's well acquainted with you because I never told her who you are," The guild master answered. "May I ask why you called him Loke?"

"Well, I met him when he was going under the alias of Loke, so it's more of a habit," She answered truthfully. "Aside from Virgo, Loke is my most trusted spirit."

"I'm honored to hold that status, but I don't believe we've met before today." The Celestial Spirit apologized. "Normally, I have no problem recognizing someone as stellar as you."

Sting shot the Lion an annoyed glare. "That's because we're not from this time period, dumbass. Didn't Makarov tell you that much?"

"I'm sorry about him," Lucy quickly reprimanded her partner's cold words, "But, Sting is correct. We traveled back in time to correct our future, and now we need to find Pisces."

"Which brings us to this briefing's purpose," Makarov cleared his throat with a healthy cough. "Leo has located Pisces but requires your assistance. I assume this would make eleven for you."

"Yeah, but why do you need us if you know where they are," The dragonslayer raised an eyebrow.

The lion let out a deep sigh. This dragonslayer will the death of me. "Because a dark guild not only has Pisces, they also have traces of magic enhancing drugs in their systems. Normally, I would sneak in and beat the guild master myself, but that won't solve anything. They'll only come after a different key holder, so that would be putting an unnecessary target on Rebecca and Karen. No...I need your help in taking down Tartarus."

"Tartarus?! The same ones that were in the Veilstone Tournament?" Sting exclaimed to which Loke solemnly nodded. "Well, that explains why Nyx and Thanatos were there in the first place."

"Tartarus is a large dark guild divided into fourteen factions. I suspect that Nyx and Thanatos align with the same faction that has Pisces." Master Makarov noted. "Although the factions might have an alliance with each other, they act completely independent of each other. So, if we subdue one, then others may not retaliate."

"Unless, they think we're trying to take them out one-by-one," The Sabertooth mage frowned. "If there are fourteen factions, then there have to be fourteen leaders, right?"

Lucy stood up from her seat and began pacing the room. An organization this large required much more than a quick brainstorming session. "No, there would need to be a guild master ruling over everything unless they have their own faction. What else do we know about this dark guild? Magic? Faction Size? Any important information?"

"The Faction Master intends to fire the Eclipse Cannon in an attempt to destroy the Magic Council's base. The leader already has one key component. However, they're missing three important pieces." Loke pointed out. "For one, they'll need a Celestial Wizard who can fire it. Then, there's the need for two human sacrifices to power the machine."

"Okay, but what is this Eclipse Cannon? Is it anything like the Eclipse Gate?" Sting asked as he leaned back in his chair.

"Not really, the Eclipse Gate was created to allow people transcend time. The Eclipse Cannon was created to transcend the laws of magic." The Lion Spirits crossed his arms against his chest. "This Cannon defies the nature of magic and evaporates everything in its path. However, it destroys the zodiac key, cuts the life span of the humans, and severely burns the Celestial Wizard as a consequence."

"Hold on, the key gets destroyed?! Like the spirit dies too?"

"No, the Celestial keys are a means of allowing spirits to cross into this world. They're certainly not our lifeline. The key will reform in a year's time." Loke reassured the dragonslayer. "The Cannon was created as a precaution and a last resort. To think, it would fall in the hands of a dark guild."

"Oh so, they can only fire it once! If we have ten, counting Leo, and Karen has one, then Pisces is the only key they can possibly use." Sting sneered. "But they won't get the chance to do it cuz we'll beat them. Right Hearts?"

"We don't have a choice unless we want to waste another year in the past," Lucy sighed as she scratched her head. "In the meantime, we need to alert the Magic Council to construct a Maginium barrier. In case we can't reach Pisces in time, then we can at least protect the council from their attack."

Loke wanted to believe the matter was this simple. "Unfortunately, the Eclipse Cannon can tear through even magic resilient alloys. If we alert the council, then Tartarus might speed up the process."

"Then, it is decided." Makarov declared in a solemn voice. "The three of you will secure Pisces and save anyone who might be abducted. I'm sure that I do not need to remind you of the stakes at hand."

"Yeah, the future and our lives," Sting responded as he stood up. "But, we've faced worse for less. Hell, we fought the best of this year has to offer and won. Lucy and I got a good track record! We've faced dark guilds before, so we ain't throwing ourselves into anything new."

"It's sad that this our norm now," Lucy groaned while she met her partner's eyes. "But, Sting and I are strong enough to handle this. With Loke's support, there's not much to worry about."

"Very well," Makarov agreed as he followed us out the door.

The four of us stood against the second floor's railing. Makarov and Lucy watched happily as the spirits entertained the children. Gemini caught a glimpse of the guild master. When neither Gray nor Natsu was paying attention, the twins took it upon themselves to change into the elderly man and playfully scold the boys. Lucy and Loke conversed as they went downstairs to join the others.

"May I ask one question pertaining to the future, Wiess?" Makarov asked while the two watched from the second floor.

"Hmm? What's up?"

"Who gave you that mark on your hand? I've only heard stories about it."

"It still doesn't make much sense to me. After some kind of flash, I saw a little ghost girl standing in front of me, and Rebecca kept calling her Master Mavis." Sting answered, but he still couldn't make much sense out of the whole fever dream. "All I know is that only Fairies can see her, and this mark makes me an exception."

The guild master nodded as a small mischievous smirk graced his face. "I see... Thank you for your honesty."

"Between you and me, this generation of Fairy will change everything," Sting answered in a solemn tone. "I just hope what we're doing now will make a difference."

"It will, my boy." Master Makarov reassured the dragonslayer. "So long as we learn from the past, live to our fullest potential, and work towards a better tomorrow, we can face whatever comes our way together, as a family."

There was that word being thrown around again. The word wasn't as foreign to Sting as he once believed. He felt his lip twitch upwards at the thought of being loved and welcomed somewhere. The dragonslayer wasn't sure if he was ready to give up that idea anytime soon. "As a family huh? Hey Makarov, when everything is said and done,...can I, ya know, visit and do some missions from time to time?"

"My boy, the doors are always open to anyone willing to first walk through them," The Fairy answered. "I will not ask you to do anything you're not first willing to do for yourself. All I ask is that you remain true to yourself and your beliefs."

"I...I think I can do that," The dragonslayer gave himself a chance to think about Makarov's words. "Can I get your opinion on my guild master? I've been thinking a lot about what I want to do about him."

"Very well, speak your mind."

"He's kinda a dick to everyone in the guild. Like he's obsessives with being the strongest guild in Fiore, and it's gotten to the point where he'll banish you for losing a fight, even when it's clear you're outclassed." Sting felt a chill go down his spine when he thought back to Yukino. "I lost to Natsu pretty badly, and my Exceed tried to reason with the guild master even though he was scared shitless. And...without a second thought, that bastard vaporized Lector...and I-I killed him for it."

"I'm sorry you had to experience such a devastating tragedy."

"It worked out in the end. The guild master's daughter held my Exceed captive for the final day of the games, but Erza managed to save him for me." He let out a dry chuckle. "It's just that...I don't know what to do. Should I kill him again or should I let him continue terrorizing everyone? For fuck sake, he made a girl strip down to nothing just to make her remove her own guild mark."

"A guild such as that is doomed to fail in a matter of time, my boy. However, you are presented with the rare chance to right those wrongs." Master Makarov answered. "A corrupted soul as his own will only darken if left unchecked. However, you can rewrite history in your way. I would never recommend blooding your hands in a peaceful option is possible. Use your position in the guild to advocate change amongst your friends. It will not change in a single night, but change will occur. If all else fails, you fight for those willing to stand by your side. By doing so, you will see your group and guild grow in ways you never expected."

"You think?" Sting raised a brow out of skepticism.

"I know, my boy." Master smiled before walking down the stairs to join the others. "You don't get this old without learning a bit about how people act, but that's a different story for a different day. For now, there's a more important matter at hand."

Sting thought hard about Makarov's words. His friends suffered at the hands of Jiemma, and Sting knew inside his heart he couldn't stomach watching Yukino's ordeal again. The dragonslayer cringed when he thought back to his cold words. _She was weak, so she's gone. The strongest guild doesn't need those types, right? _He was so drunks with power, he never realized how far from the truth he was. But now, things were different. Sting had the foresight and strength to protect Yukino. If she was willing to sacrifice her life to give Sting at a chance to live, then he'll repay his friend tenfold.

* * *

**Key Obtained: **Cancer, Aquarius, Capricorn, Crux, Virgo, Taurus, Sagittarius, Aries, Libra, Gemini, and Leo

**Key Needed:** Pisces, and Scorpio

**A/N: So can someone from the BNHA fandom explain this one to me. Because I was on google minding my own business researching Mineta, and I delete Mineta from the search bar and type 'ende'. The second result is Endeavor x Mineta. I want to know why there are fanarts of this cursed ship.**


	23. Exceed Your Limits Lucy!

**A/N: Tad spoiler if you haven't read Fairy Tail 100 Year Quest. No Major Plot revealed just using a concept brought up.**

* * *

**January 3rd x778**

**Mikage Forest**

**11:30 AM**

After enduring a torturous train ride, Sting and his two companions made their way to the Tartarus faction's location. Leo reassured the time travelers that the base was hidden away in the depths of the forest, to avoid the authorities from noticing. The lion spirit led them through the damp path, littered with dying trees.

"Hey Loke, this is completely unrelated to the case, but I have an important question." Lucy inquired as she rubbed her arm. To be honest, while it wasn't urgent. The situation itself was unnerving, to say the least.

"Sure Rebecca, what's on your mind?" The Celestial Leader answered as he pushed a tree branch out of the way.

"It's about Aquarius. I haven't been able to summon her for the past couple of months, and I'm starting to get worried." She replied. "Aquarius and I have always had a rocky relationship, ever since I was a child, and she never hesitated whenever she wanted time off. But, this is the first time Aquarius ignored my calls."

Sting let out a scoff of disbelief. " 'Rocky' does not begin to describe the hell you two got going on."

"...Anyways, I'm worried that something happened to her. Ever since Veilstone, Aquarius refused to answer any of my summonings, let alone come into the human world." Lucy continued on, refusing to acknowledge the dragonslayer's comment. "At first, I thought she was upset about the wager, but now I'm not sure. Aquarius has been angry at me before, but it's never been severe before."

"I will certainly take a look into this for you. Aquarius has always been temperamental, but this sounds unlike her." Loke said with concern in his voice. "Once we secure Pisces, I'll talk to Aquarius myself."

"I got a question," Sting folded his arms as we approached the dark guild. "Has a human ever been inside the Celestial World? I mean if y'all live there, can your master visit?"

"Technically speaking, a human can go to the Celestial World, but I wouldn't recommend it," Lucy stated before grimacing at the memory. "Time isn't exactly parallel between the two worlds. A day in their world is about three months on Earthland. Trust me, I learned this the hard way."

In a hushed tone, Sting let out a low scream. "What do you mean three months?!"

"Yeah, three months here is a day in their world," She stated. "For Capricorn and the others, this entire trip has been like two days for them. That's why I'm worried about Aquarius. She's never ignored me for this long. She even turned down visiting Celestina City."

"This is interesting. I haven't heard too much from the other spirits, but I will personally check on Aquarius," Loke reassured her as they arrived at the dark guild's base. "For now, Pisces needs our help escaping. I don't have to remind you two what's at stake, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, we know." Sting complied. "The magic council, Pisces, and the lives of two hostages are on the line. So, what's the game plan?"

Lucy knew very well that they couldn't rush in guns blazing. No, they had the element of surprise on their side. If they waste this opportunity, the faction master might fire the Eclipse Cannon prematurely. "Well, first we'll need to save the hostages. Without them, the cannon can't be fired."

"Unless they're willing to sacrifice one of their own." The dragonslayer pointed out. "If they're anything like those Zeref cults, they'll do anything to reach their goals."

"But without Pisces, they can't do anything," Loke responded. "If anything, Pisces should be our priority. The only problem is that we don't know where their key is hidden or who has it."

"Then, we have to bring it out hiding," Sting smirked as a plan began to form."It's a bit risky, but it's crazy enough to work. And, it all depends on Hearts."

"Wiess...what are you planning," Lucy groaned as they continued to weigh Sting's plan.

"It's simple. Leo and I will bust through the front door and cause a distraction. With Leo backing me, I'll have an endless supply of energy. Meanwhile, Rebecca will sneak in from another door or whatever and search for the Eclipse Cannon. "

"Okay, but what about Pisces? How are we going to get them back?"

"Easy, someone important has to have the key, right? So, with Leo and I breaking shit in the front, that person is gonna try to blast a hole in the Magic Council with the cannon."

"Meaning they'll probably need to bring the hostages and Pisces along to accomplish that goal." Lucy realized. "Wait... What if the Faction master has the key? Are you sure I should be the one fighting him? If you do it, there's no doubt you'll win."

The dragonslayer answered with sincerity in his voice. "Hearts, I know better than anyone else that you're capable of winning. I trained you, so I know what your strengths are, and I know you will win. Believe in your magic and your brain cuz those are your strongest assets."

"He's right. You have ten of the Golden Zodiacs standing behind you. While I won't be there in person, I will be there in your heart." Loke added before winking. "And hopefully, I'll be there at your wedding."

"Annnd, there goes the moment," Lucy sighed as she shook her head.

* * *

**January 3rd x778**

**Death Faction Base**

**12:00 PM**

The lone Celestial Wizard squeezed through the tight air vents. After breaking off from Sting and Loke, she managed to find a suitable entrance to sneak in, well break into. To be completely honest, she didn't expect Sting to allow her to leave his line of sight. Was she too accustomed to Natsu's protective nature? With the fire dragonslayer, she was never truly left alone. He would tag along regardless of what she said, and she was always thankful for his company. Sting's trust in her powers was new, to say the least. It was refreshing to have some responsibility behind being the damage control for her team. Sting's trust gave her the strength to meet his expectations.

If anything, Lucy was more concerned about leaving Loke and Sting alone. With that much testosterone raging between them, the duo might fight each other more than the dark guild. She will never understand what part of being a dragonslayer makes them so hostile towards other guys. Between Gajeel, Natsu, and Sting, she didn't know who was easier to provoke.

Pushing those thoughts to the side, for now, Lucy peeked through the open vents as she searched for Eclipse Cannon. Although Sting's plan sounded extreme, there was enough merit and thought put into it for Lucy to co-sign. Her only concern was fighting alone. Minus the fight with Kisa, Lucy always had someone to rely on, and this was the first time where she wouldn't have anyone coming to her rescue.

So, that just means she needs to work even harder to prove she's capable of becoming independent.

Lucy kicked open the correct air vent when she finally stumbled across the device pointing out the window. The Eclipse Cannon was as grand as the Eclipse Gate. Whoever built the cannon followed the same design gate. The twelve keys were etched into the back of the cannon. The weapon had the sun and moon designed as the clamp. Two torturing rack were hooked to the cannon with restrains present. She glanced out of the telescope present and saw a clear shot of the Magic Counsel's main base of operation. Underneath her feet, Lucy felt the floorboard tremble.

"Alright, let's get this show on the road," Lucy smiled to herself as she pulled a key out of her pouch. "_Open! Gate of the Goat! Capricorn! And! Star Dress: Leo!"_

Lucy became cloaked in an elegant, frilled, black ball gown that is slit up to her left leg and tied with a gold sash that sits around their hips. A black, frilled choker sits around her neck, and a ribbon with the mark of the Leo zodiac emblazoned upon it falls between her chest. The accompanying sleeves of the dress are detached, sitting on Lucy's upper arm and falling to her forearm, where they flare outward. Around the bodice of the Celestial Wizard's dress is more golden trim, curving inward under her bust. Additionally, she sported black heels, and her hair is now tied up in a quaint bun that is decorated with a black flower.

"Quite elegant, Miss," Capricorn commented on her as they heard the door burst open.

"Thanks, Capri, I haven't tried this power out, so I'm excited to see what it can do. It's Leo's power, so it gotta be strong, right?" Lucy cheered as three figures came into view, two being familiar faces.

Nyx and Thanatos appeared with two unconscious girls thrown over their shoulders. In the middle of the former tag-team participants, there stood a light-skinned man who has short spiky hair with bangs that are brushed to cover his right eye. His attire consisted of a black blazer, worn unbuttoned above a grey shirt, and black trousers with a brown belt around his waist. His footwear is a pair of black boots that went underneath his trousers, and he wore a military tag around his neck.

"It seems where the light mage goes, his partner is not far behind." The presumed faction master grunted.

"It's not like we can let you kidnap women and blast a hole in the Magic Council," Lucy shrugged. "Now, if you would kindly handover the girls and Pisces, we'll be on our way."

"Do you really think it will be easy, girlie? I am the reincarnation of Death, itself, and I don't submit to anyone who aligns themselves with the light guilds." Death sneered as he cracked his knuckles.

"No, but it would've been a nice change of pace," The Celestial Wizard sighed before readying herself for the fight.

She summoned a ball of light in between her hands that quickly consumed the room. Taking the opportunity by the hand, Capricorn pressed his sunglasses closer to his face before striking the blinded Nyx and Thanatos. The Celestial Being swiftly rescued the woman from the enemies' grasp and joined his master on the other side of the room. Following Sting's plan, Capricorn escorted himself out of the room and forcing his gate closed, leaving with the girls in tow. Once the light began to die down, Lucy brought forth two more keys.

"_Open! Gate of the Maiden and the Ram! Virgo and Aries!"_

By her side, her two trusted spirits appeared and shined with confidence. With her Fleuve d'étoiles in hand, the trio charged towards the dark wizards. The ground underneath trembled as Nyx began to work his magic. The floor wrapped the girls' feet and caused them to halt their assault. Thanatos followed behind by spraying a poisonous mist into the air.

Virgo whipped her chains around Nyx's arms and pulled him into reaching distance. The maiden crumbled the floor underneath everyone, successfully freeing the girls from the trap. Aries countered the poison mist with a barrier of her own. The wool disintegrated upon impact, but the attack was enough to protect them. Lucy followed up with their attacks by slamming her fist into the ground and creating pillars of light that consumed the dark mages.

The faction mage created a magic circle to protect himself from the bulk of the attack whilst leaving his follower to suffer. Nyx and Thanatos withstood the attack but suffer heavy damage.

"Heh, you think you're cute, trying to take down someone of my caliber." The faction master growled. "I'll break you like the plaything you truly are. _Death Typhoon!_"

A wave of damned souls overtook the room as the girls were quickly swarmed around. In the distance, Lucy watched as Nyx and Thanatos were pulled into the pool of darkness while her spirits struggled to escape the current.

Stepping through the darkness, Death grasped Lucy by the throat and lifted her from the deathly sea. He wore a disgusting smile as he slowly tightened his grip on her until it became difficult for Lucy to breathe. Scratching at his scarred hand, the Celestial Wizard's vision began to blur. Her mind raced as Death blasted her bruised body. There must something in her arsenal that can turn the tide. Sting and Loke are trusting her to win. Their hope is riding on her learning to stand on her own feet. Wait! That's it. "I won't let you have your way! _Lion Furiousity!"_

The air around her erupted with light as she felt her body became weightless and strength increase tremendously. Death was blinded by the sudden burst of light and cried out as he covered his eyes. Lucy's spell dispelled the darkness surrounding everyone as a white light developed around her body. Aries and Virgo rose to their feet and stood behind their master. Taking this opportunity, Lucy held her hands outward as a magic spell shined in her eyes.

_O the Light of Regulus!_

_Grant this power!_

_Grant me this strength!_

_The Luminescence needed to face my opponents!_

_To bring forth a brighter future!_

_I call upon thee!_

_Lion Brilliant Roar!_

The radiant blast from her mouth absorbed the light surrounding Lucy and consumed Death and the barrier he threw up. Once Lucy's attack died down, Virgo and Aries followed up by kicking the faction master across the face and successfully rendering him unconscious.

With the fight finally over, Lucy dismissed her Star Dress and smiled at her spirits. "Thank you, Virgo...Aries, I couldn't have down this without you."

"Oh n-no, you did the heavy lifting. We only supported you," Aries quickly dismissed the compliment with a squeak as Virgo searched Death's body for the missing key.

"Miss Rebecca," Virgo called out with a hint of horror in her voice, "This faction master doesn't have Pisces key."

"Wh-What?! But who else could have it?!" The ram cried out.

"Do you truly believe I would leave that much power in the hands of a faction leader, and Death no less." A new smooth voice rang from the door. A shadow cast over the man, making him indescribable. "Now, dispose of the trash."

Before Lucy could react, two blurs attacked the unsuspecting Aries and Virgo. The ram and maiden faded away while wearing shocked expression. Once the dust settled, Lucy recognized the two new minions.

The man was dark-skinned, toned, and muscular body which created a contrast with his extremely spiky light hair and a pair of short strands framing his forehead. He shares the woman's tattoos, fins, and crown but also sported an earring shaped like a shell on each ear and a light necklace with a similarly shaped pendant hanging from it; he wore an indument made of scales, this being a massive belt which extends downwards on his legs' sides to cover the lower part of his loose dark pants. A massive, dark ribbon is tied diagonally on the left part of his chest, going above his left shoulder in close proximity to his neck, around his wrists are massive dark bracelets with light edges, and yet another bracelet, adorned by a series of dark and light triangles, is found on the boy's left bicep. Pisces' male form carries around a polearm in his right hand, this having its upper, offensive edge shaped like the Celestial Spirit's symbol.

The woman was average height and possessed long, straight, and glossy dark hair. She had slanted dark eyes, and two dark protrusions reminiscent of membranous fins sit at her head's sides. She had a very curvaceous figure, with her breasts being hugged and partially exposed by a revealing top made of massive light scales, going from her waist to her neck while baring the central part of her torso, with shoulder pads extending on her shoulders. The woman's arms were covered by light-edged dark sleeves adorned by intricate, light decorative motifs; these very same motifs are present on her full-length, mildly loose matching pants, while plain, dark open top shoes covered her feet. Her forehead is adorned by a simple crown, bearing a massive light gem on the front.

"The pair fish in their humanoid form..." Lucy groaned as the duo towered over her. "So, the guild master truly did exist after all. It wasn't just a group of coexisting factions."

"A smart girl... too smart for her own good." His sadistic grin grew as the male half of Pisces held his weapon against Lucy's throat. "You know what to do."

"You won't get away with this." Lucy glared at the man and earned her a swift kick to the abdomen from the female Pisces. The Celestial Wizard crumbled to the floor as she clutched her stomach. Even in pain, she found the strength to stand on her feet again. "I can't afford to lose to anyone. Knock me down as many times as you wish, but I'll always get back up because I've learned that I can be strong on my own!"

"Perish underneath The World's might!" The gravity crushed the fairy against the ground.

"I. Will. Stand. Again!" Lucy's eyes shined a new Star Dress overcame her body. The Scale symbol was etched into her left forearm as her clothes shifted into something more befitting. The Celestial Wizard wore a frilly green-and-yellow bikini top and a matching pair of baggy sweatpants as a pair of sandals formed underneath her feet. Two scales appeared hanging from her palms as her hair was pulled into a high ponytail. "_Zero Gravity!"_

A magic spell appeared and caused the room to lose its gravity. Lucy took advantage of the situation and pushed herself off the nearest surface. Rocketing towards the Guild Master's, Lucy slammed her feet into his stomach and threw him towards the ground. Following her attack, the Celestial Wizard spun in midair and use her gravity magic to pummel herself at the World, striking him hard against his back.

"You're still too inexperienced to defeat someone of my caliber!" The faceless guild master negated the gravity changes, and Pisces was quick to attack Lucy. Forcing her out of the room, Lucy stumbled into the guildhall, well what remained. Dark mages were scattered with broken furniture covering the floor. Sting and Loke truly did a number on the place.

Dodging another one of the female Pisces's attacks, Lucy jumped onto the second floor's railing. "Okay, that's enough! _Star Dress: Aquarius!"_

"_Aquarius's Star Dress Secret Art: Tyrannical Typhoon!" _The fairy called forth's the water bearer's strength. Just as the pair fish jumped to strike down Lucy, the Celestial summoned five vortexes of water to her side. The first two vortexes managed to catch the pair fairly easily. Once inside water, Pisces reverted to their fish form. Lucy clapped her hands together and forced the third and fourth vortex around her arms. The fifth and final vortex became as razor-sharp as Juvia's _Water Jigsaw_ and collided with the twin fish. Jumping towards the trapped duo, Lucy sliced through the black and white fishes and sent them back to the Celestial World. "Now, back to the guild master."

The Fairy Tail mage stomped back into the room and found the guild master strapping Nyx and Thanatos into the machine. She was running through her magic faster than normal, but she had to keep pushing herself past her limits. Even if no one was watching or cheering her on, Lucy will prove that she what it takes win no matter the obstacles. Cracking her whip against the ground once more, Lucy transformed into her Taurus Star Dress. "This ends here!"

"Tch, just like a roach, you never know when to die!"

"And you never know when to quit," Lucy snapped back. "You're willing to sacrifice people who swore their allegiance to you. For what? To disrupt the very foundation of the magic world?"

"If only you knew the secrets the Magic Counsel held, they're more corrupt than any dark guild in existence." He retorted. "I, The World, will do everything in my power lead the rebirth of Earthland."

"And you believe your plan will be any better? It will be born from bloodshed and fear!" Lucy screamed. "I won't let you activate that weapon!"

"Oh really, you can barely stand and there's no spirit who can match my power." The guild master activated his gravity magic once again to crush Lucy. "Hand over your keys, and I might spare you life."

"Never," Lucy spat as she pounded her fist against the floor.

She's worked too hard and grown too much during this journey for this to be her end. Regardless of what Sting and Loke might say, how could she live with such a failure? Her family was depending on her for once, and she won't fail them again. When this journey began this, she promised herself that she would never be the damsel in distress again. If the power of one Star Dress won't cut, how about we up the stakes?

"Taking you down is my number one priority," Lucy struggled to bring three keys out of her pouch. "_Open! Gate of the Scales! Libra!"_

The Scales spirit was quick to react once she realized what was need of her. "Rebalance!"

"Thank you Libra," Lucy gave her an exhausted smile as she rose to her feet. The two remaining keys in Lucy's hand shined as a new form overtook her body. The differences between this new power to her Star Dress was noticeable. Normally, it felt as if her heart was aligning with one of her spirits, but calling upon two allowed her to be the bridge between two. She was the result of combining two differing powers into one. Although she hadn't possessed Loke's key for very long, she knew in heart that their bond transcended time and their power would be enough to get her through this hard spot. "_Second Origin! Star Dress Mix: Leo x Virgo!"_

A powerful light consumed the room, temporarily blinding The World. In this form, Lucy wore a combination of the lion and maiden's Star Dress and a tattoo of crossed keys, representing Virgo and Leo.

Lucy raised her arms in the air while crossing them until she made the shape of an 'X'. She began chanting an incantation bestowed upon the two respected spirits as the magic light the room. With Libra canceling the guild master's magic, Lucy lowered both of her arms until her palms face The World. Multiple pillars of light erupted from the ground and caught the enemy inside. All of the pillars of the light transformed into one powerful explosion, encasing The World in the midst of the attack.

_O the Light of Regulus_

_O the Shine of Spica_

_Lion Maiden!_

Lucy involuntarily released Libra and the Star Dress Mix once the spell was completed. Despite the constant magic being thrown around. the Eclipse Cannon kept itself and the ones strapped to it unharmed. The battle was finally over, and she accomplished it without the need of Sting or outside interference. It was the result of her own merit, and no one can say otherwise.

The Fairy took a moment to catch her breath before she grabbed the Twin Fish's key from the unconscious guild master. And with this victory, that marks the eleventh key secured. All that's left is somehow persuade Karen to hand over Scorpio's key. The thought alone was enough to give Lucy a headache. "Why couldn't have she just given me Scorpio as we agreed upon? Then, there's Aquarius who's in the worse mood imaginable."

"Ya know there's a running joke in Fiore...where there's destruction, there's typically a Fairy in the center of it all," Sting's voice rang from what remained from the door frame. Loke stood behind him with a satisfying smirk. "I usually expect that from Natsu or Gray, given their reputation. But damn, you really did a number on this place."

"Very true, Miss. Rebecca is the embodiment of beauty and strength." Leo nodded. "It's only a shame I didn't catch a glimpse of her in the Leo Star Dress. I guess I'll have to settle with the Star Dress Mix for now."

"Wa-Wait! You were watching?!" Lucy stumbled backward a little. "For how long?!"

"Well, you were the one that came flying out the room fighting Pisces," Sting raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Did...Did you not hear us calling your name? We were about to help ya, but you seemed like you had everything under control."

"I-I guess not," Lucy blushed from embarrassment. "I-I was so focused on winning that I guess I blocked everything out. Any-Anyways, let's get out of here. The World and Death are bound to wake up eventually."

"The what?" Sting and Loke shared a confused stare between each other.

"I'll explain it on the way. Come on, let's report back to Master Makarov and the King." Lucy replied.

"And, I will hold my end of our promise and speak to Aquarius," Loke answered before fading away. "I know it will be difficult, but we'll need her cooperation eventually."

* * *

**January 3rd x778**

**3:45 PM**

**Hargeon Hotel**

Once Loke returned to the Spirit World, Lucy made a three-way call to King Fiore about the recent developments over the past couple of days, including meeting Makarov and securing most, if not all the zodiac keys. In light of their recent fight, the King reassured them that the Rune Knights are en route to capturing the fallen factions. Master Makarov reaffirmed that he will ask the Wizard Saints to aid in dismantling the remaining factions.

"But I must admit, my child," Makarov gleamed with fatherly pride. "I am indeed proud of your accomplishments today. Taking down the guild leader is nothing short of impressive. If your strength is any indication of what's to come, we might have a Wizard Saint in our guild one day."

"Makarov, let us first get your rowdy children under control before we reward any of them with such a title," King Fiore said in an exhausted tone. "Let us not forget that the Magic Council continuously reports damages caused by your guild."

"Any-Anyways, we have eleven of the necessary keys, and we know where to find Scorpio." Lucy quickly intervened. "Sting and I should be prepared to leave by the end of the month, at the latest. If everything goes well, we can leave in two weeks. Can you relay the message to Anna?"

The King stated as he made a note. "We're in the final stretch of the first act. Are you sure this will work? It will be fourteen years before we know what to prepare for."

"It ain't like we got anything else to go with," Sting folded his arms. "But Hearts and I got it under control. We're not the same people who you met a couple of months ago. We've grown a hell of a lot. Hell, Hearts can mix her Star Dresses now?!"

"Plus, we have the strongest guilds, the best tactician ever to be known, and the Kingdom's strongest Magic unit in one spot." Lucy reminded them as she glanced at her partner. "With a little coordination and patience, the dragons won't be released, and we can see another day. It's not hopeless, King Fiore."

"Very well," He let out a heavy sigh before smiling. "I will put my faith in the youth of our future, but I must be going. There is much preparation to be done."

The Fairy Tail master nodded in agreement. "As will I, even though we might meet again in fourteen years, the King and I must take each day in stride."

Sting and Lucy waved the two elderly men off as they prepared to rest for the remainder of the day. The dragonslayer took the opportunity to order enough room service to satisfy the bottomless pit he calls a stomach, and the Celestial Wizard gathered a new set of clothes to sleep in once she finished in soaking. Although the victory was sweet, she reaped the drawbacks of fighting well past her physical limits. Her bones ached once the adrenaline died.

"Lucy!" Loke's sudden appearance scared the duo. "There's a problem, a very huge problem. We have to go, now!"

"Woah, Woah, dude," Sting raised an eyebrow as he turned to his attention to the lion spirit. "What's the problem, now?"

"You don't understand. If we don't leave now we won't make it," He urged them which startled Lucy a little. The leader was typically levelheaded but to see him this disheveled...

"Loke, what's wrong. Whatever happened, we can fix it." Lucy reassured him. "Just tell us what Aquarius said."

"Aquarius wasn't hiding from you. She was waiting for Scorpio. He hasn't been in the Celestial World for over five months. If we don't find him soon, Scorpio will die."

* * *

**Key Obtained: **Cancer, Aquarius, Capricorn, Crux, Virgo, Taurus, Sagittarius, Aries, Libra, Gemini, Leo, and Pisces

**Key Needed:** Scorpio

**A/N: Lol, y'all really didn't believe me when I said that cursed ship existed. Since I know not everyone reads manga, I limited the description of the Star Dress Mix: Leo x Virgo and corresponding spells.**

**I know no one asked but here my logic to Lucy's Star Dress. According to what happened with Tartaros, a Celestial Wizard can use a Star Dress when they can hold three gates open at once. By that logic, using a Star Dress consumes the same amount of magic as holding three gates open, if not more. When mixing between Star Dresses, it must consume the same amount of magic as holding five-six gates open at once which is why Lucy can hold the form for one attack in my opinion. **


	24. Deals and Promises!

**A/N: A small recap because it's been a minute since my last update, and I don't blame anyone if they forgot some details.**

_In a desperate attempt to save the world from Future Rouge's, Mavis sent Lucy and Sting into the past to prevent the disaster. Of course, nothing is ever easy for a Fairy, so the unlikely duo is sent 14 years into the past where the Eclipse gate was last opened. Upon meeting Lucy's ancestors, they learn how to return to their correct destination. With each battle and trial, Lucy gains more confidence in her abilities, and Sting begins to understand what it means to be a more compassionate person. It seems the two are learning more about themselves each day. However, it is not blue sky and pretty rainbows because there are two detectives interested in learning the truth behind our time travelers. What awaits everyone in the past? _

* * *

**January 3rd x778**

**Fairy Tail Guild**

**3:55 PM**

With one official meeting, Makarov leaned back in his office chair as he pondered their impending doom. Fourteen years until their final moment. No matter how he looked at the facts, Makarov was always brought back to one singular fact.

He failed to protect his children he grown to love, and that hurt him deep within his heart.

The elderly man knew he accepted this position with the intent to raise the next generation of Fairies. That is the responsibility Precht left behind. Although he enjoyed every moment with his children and fellow guildmates, he couldn't shake this uneasy feeling. There were several questions left unanswered.

What was a third-generation dragonslayer, and where did Nastu fall in all of this? What was a second or first-generation dragonslayer? From Natsu's testimony, he was raised by a dragon named Igneel. He has seen on multiple occasions Natsu eating raw flames without any hesitation or regard for his safety. Natsu eats Macao's flame sometimes, and there is a noticeable difference in the boy's power afterward. Which proved Natsu's word to be true, Makarov worried if there were more dragonslayer wondering out in the world. He would have to ask Natsu one day. He might make a mission out of it.

Then, there was the issue about the First's mark. How First was involved? The First's mark was something lost in history, so why did someone outside the guild bear it? But the dragonslayer Master Mavis is the guild's closest kept secret. There are only three people who should know where to find her, and Sting is definitely not one of them. Precht only mentioned the marking in passing once and told Makarov to look more into it if he was interested.

In the midst of his thoughts, Makarov noticed another incoming call on his lacrima. Makarov could count the number of people who could connect him, so he was more than willing to answer it. Accepting the call, Makarov saw Bob's face appear before him. The usually happy man was now wearing a grim expression and had a worrisome shine in his eyes.

"Good afternoon Bob, is everything alright with your guild?" Makarov asked out of genuine concern. It wasn't like the Pegasus to wear a frown.

"Makarov, I know we've spoken about the discovery involving Rebecca and Wiess in September, and you promised that you will handle the situation." Bob rambled off as he usually does when nervous. "But, I believe this grown into a larger issue than either of us have originally planned."

"Yes, I do recall that conversation..." Master Makarov did speak with Lucy, Sting, and even King Fiore about the situation. The plan was laid out fairly well, so there wasn't much left to do outside of letting fate running its pace. "Has something developed?"

"There are two detectives here, and they're question Karen, one of the guild's members. They've already questioned me about what I know about Rebecca and Wiess, and I fear they might confiscate Karen's key."

"That's right. Karen used Scorpio during her fight," Makarov remembered. "But, why would the detectives be at Blue Pegasus?"

"I don't know, hon," Master Bob said as he glances over his shoulder. "But, whatever Rebecca and Wiess are planning, it will drag us down if we leave them alone."

"I understand, Bob. I will put all my efforts into pinpointing their location." Makarov let out a heavy sigh. "I need you to keep Scorpio out of the detectives' hands. If we want to uncover the truth, we'll need the twelve zodiacs together."

The Blue Pegasus master nodded along as he followed his friend's logic. "That's the thing, Maka. I heard from the grapevine that Rebecca and Karen wagered their keys, so it's only a matter of time before Rebecca comes by the guild for Scorpio."

"Then, we must act quickly, and I pray we uncover the truth before its too late. Do what you can Bob and keep your guild safe, please."

"I will. Please, if you need anyone to watch the kids while we prepare, I can have a few guild members volunteer." He asked with a hint of sincerity. "Ichiya has always been good with kids. I don't know why, but Ichiya has been creating more perfumes than usual. So, I'm sure he has some magic to entertain the kids!"

"No, but if we cannot meet at your guild or mines," Makarov answered as a plan formed in his head. With all the pieces on the table, he only needs to bring all the pieces to their respected positions, beginning with Karen and Scorpio. "The detectives have already visited my guild, and I fear that if we have Rebecca and Wiess come to Blue Pegasus, then the detective to cross their paths."

"Then where? By that logic, Magnolia and Rose Garden would be dangerous."

"There's always Crocus. It is busy during this time, but it will be difficult to track anyone."

"I hope that you know what you're doing Makarov. I trust your judgment, so I'll bring Karen and Ichiya along just tell me when we should meet."

"Give me two days and meet me in front of the castle's gates."

"Okay, Maka, I will see you soon. Love you," Bob gave a weak smile before signing off.

* * *

**January 3rd, x778**

**Hargeon Hotel**

**3:55 PM**

_"Aquarius wasn't hiding from you. She was waiting for Scorpio. He hasn't been in the Celestial World for over five months. If we don't find him soon, Scorpio will die."_

What they feared the most was growing to fruition. Lucy always knew Karen was abusive towards her spirits and would eventually force Aries to endure horrible punishments. However, Scorpio was her only spirit capable of fighting, so why would she bring him to the brink of death. She knew the consequences. If she was the cause of Scorpio's death, then no Celestial Being would ever sign a contract with her again. Not to mention the fact that there would be no one who will stop Aquarius once the mermaid hunts down the Pegasus.

Lucy tried to swallow the saliva in her mouth but found the guilt lodged in her throat stopping her. After all, she knew all about Karen's abusive nature towards her spirits. It was Karen's abuse that ultimately led to her death and Loke's banishment. So, why did she leave Scorpio? Was it to prevent Karen from tracking them down and interfering with their journey? Could it be the fact that she wanted to know where Scorpio was? What reason could she have for allowing the Scorpion to suffer for so long? What reason could justify her blissful ignorance? Lucy knew the risk...and she allowed it. Sting and she had five months to save him, and they chose to neglect him.

"Hold on, what happens when a spirit dies?" Sting's eyes widened once the news registered in his head. "Like, he'll come back, right? I saw him fighting in the Game Magic Games, so he has to be revived."

"Not necessarily..." Lucy answered as she held herself. "Think about it, Sting. We're an anomaly in the timeline, so every time we interact with the past, the future changes slightly. The detectives weren't supposed to investigate us. Karen shouldn't have lost to me. I know we tried to keep history untouched as much as possible, but I think we've changed too much. And, Scorpio might die because of it."

"And this is unprecedented, minor spirits come and go, yes, but the golden zodiacs are important to maintaining balance in the Celestial World," Loke answered as he leaned against the wall. "It may take an entire Celestial year maybe a decade for his key to reform."

"A year?!" Lucy shrieked. If three months equaled a day in Loke's World and there are 365 days for them, that multiplied should be 1095 days. "That's 91 years for us! We can't wait that long!"

"Hell, we might as wait the years out if we're gonna do all that!" Sting quickly agreed. "Let's beat that bitch of a mage."

"Hold on, Sting. We have to think logically before we rush into this one." Loke urged him to be rational.

"What's there to think about?!" The dragonslayer answered, halfheartedly offended at the lion spirit. "We left Scorpio in that woman's hands for five months and look at what happened! The whole mission could be jeopardized, and you want me to wait?!"

Noticing the growing tension between the guys, Lucy placed herself in the middle of the boys. "That's not what Loke's saying, Sting. I get it. We failed Scorpio when we had the chance, but we can't storm into the Blue Pegasus's guild. Karen is probably expecting us to come, so we need a plan in place."

Then, there was the issue of how Scorpio managed to survive this long. Given how some of the golden keys act, it is possible for them to maintain their gate at will. From what she witnesses, Lucy was aware that Gemini, Aquaruis, Virgo, and Loke were the most likely to survive days on end with returning the Celestial World. But Scorpio and Cancers were the least likely to leave their world on their own accordance. So Lucy could not, for the life of her, understand how Scorpio survived this long.

"Lucy's right. Karen is most likely using Scorpio to lure us into a trap. If we tried brute force, then we'll have to deal with Master Bob and the rest of the guild." Loke nodded along.

"You say it like I can't beat their asses." The dragonslayer grumbled.

"It's not a matter of whether or not you can win. It's a matter of preserving the future." Lucy answered before stealing a glance at Loke. "No matter of painful it is. I promised Anna and the king that I would do my best, and that's what I intend to do."

"So, where do we go from here, Princess?"

"Well, there's no real for Blue Pegasus to outright attack us, so it's safe to say that we can approach the guild." Lucy began to theorize. "If that's the case, then I'll have a word with Karen myself."

"Don't ya think that's the one thing Karen wants? What happens if-"

"No Sting," The Celestial Wizard quickly interjected as she shook her head. "I have to do this. Scorpio and Aquarius are both suffering because of my inactivity. I knew what Karen was capable of and willing to do, and I remained silent. I-I broke a promise. I have to face Karen myself or else I can't look another spirit in the eye."

The Lion spirit and dragonslayer shared a concerned expression before Loke spoke up again. "Very well, if it comes down to a fight. Sting and I will back you up so you can handle Karen alone, but let's try to diplomatic first. Master Bob is friends with Master Makarov, so there might be a chance to avoid all of that."

"From what I remember, Master Bob was once a member of Fairy Tail, so there might be a chance if we can get Master to aid us once more." Lucy tapped her chin.

"I'll handle that part while you two travel to-"

For the second time in the span of an hour, the lacrima rang with Makarov's name flashing on the screen. Curious about the unannounced call, the dragonslayer answered as Lucy and Loke raised an eyebrow.

"What's wrong, Master?" The Celestial Wizard came closer to the lacrima. "I thought you had some business to handle."

"I did, and there's a new development. I need you to report to Crocus in two days." Makarov was quick to his point. "Please disregard whatever plans we previously made."

"But Master, what about Scorpio?!" Lucy took a step back from the shock of his statement. "If we don't get him now, he'll die!"

"...What do you mean?" Makarov paused to shallow his shock. "Is he not in Karen's care?"

"Yes, but... Scorpio hasn't been in the Celestial World since the Veilstone Tournament." Loke explained. "For a spirit, there's no telling how long Scorpio has left before he's wiped from existence."

"...I understand. This only makes the situation more urgent, so, please come to Crocus." The Fairy said with a desperate tone. "If you try the Blue Pegasus guild, Karen will not be there."

Sting frowned as he folded his arms across his chest. "...Why not? What's happening at Blue Pegasus?"

"Detective Saisuke and Kiriyo are interviewing Karen, and Master Bob fears they might find a way to confiscate Karen's key."

"Well, that's a good thing. Karen, honestly, doesn't deserve to own any keys." The dragonslayer rolled his eyes.

"Be that as it may, we should be avoiding the detectives at all cost," Lucy sighed as she rubbed her temples. "What's happening at the capital?"

"That's where we will be meeting Blue Pegasus and a few others," Makarov answered with a small smile.

"...Who else will be there? The King? Anna?"

"Who?"

Sting interjected as he let out a frustrated groan. "Crap, we forgot about her. So don't tell Natsu this but he's like 400 years older than what he thinks he is."

"That explains nothing." Makarov sighed as he held his throbbing head. "Who is Anna, and why did you say that?"

"Anna is my ancestor. She traveled with Natsu, Sting, and a few others to this century because they are our best chance at beating Acnologia." Hearts stated as she tried to condense everything that was important. "We spoke a little about it, but Zeref and Anna pinpointed the time where magic would be at its peak. So, Natsu, Sting, and others will stand a better chance against Acnologia."

"Well, that does explain why Natsu can't read but knows how to use dragonslayer magic. You would not believe how baffled we were to learn that since Lost Magic can only be learned through reading." The Fairy Master answered. "But, how do you two recall time traveling while Natsu can't?"

"Brain damage, probably." Sting shrugged. "I'll be honest. I don't remember it either, but we saw five holes in the ceil. So, we probably crashed through the ceiling and lost a chunk of our memories."

"Which also means Igneel doesn't exist in this century, physically at least," Loke pointed out.

"The fuck is that supposed to mean?" The dragonslayer turned to the Celestial Spirit. "There's no way any of the dragons survived this long with Acnologia around."

"I'm not entirely certain about that Sting. Anna said something similar when we brought it up before," Lucy paused as she rested her hand on her chin. "Loke and Anna might know something we don't, but we're getting off-topic. We should focus on how we're going to get Scorpio and leave before the detectives find us."

"Lucy's right. So, I will leave it to you three to bring Anna while I bring the other guests along." Makarov nodded in approval. "Loke is there any way of reaching Scorpio in the meantime or sustaining his life-force."

"Unfortunately, I can't interfere with another spirit's contract. That power only the Celestial King has."

"Oh yeah, where is this guy's key?" Sting raised an eyebrow. "We've been across this country twice, and we haven't seen him anywhere."

"That's the thing. The Celestial King doesn't have a key like me and Scorpio."

"So, he can't be summoned?"

Loke exhaled heavily before continuing. "He can be summoned, but the method is unorthodox. There are two requirements. The Celestial Wizard must be able to summon three golden spirits at once, and they must break one of their golden keys to summon him."

"Ho-Hold on, wh-what?!" Lucy gasped before taking an involuntary step backward.

"Well, that explains why we could never find the bastard," Sting crossed his arms as he took in the information. "So, what? Does that mean he can only appear thirteen times?"

The Lion Spirit frowned for a moment before clearing his throat. "...Yes and no, it will take four days in the Celestial World for a Golden key to reform, so it is possible to summon in more than thirteen times. But, the key doesn't reform in their previous Master's hands. If they want to recreate their contract, the master would have to find the key again."

"And how strong is he?"

"Sting!" Lucy glared at him.

Master Makarov groaned as he watched the time travelers begin to bicker about the ethnics of summoning the Celestial King. "Anyways, we're getting off track. I must ask are there anyone who can vouch for your credibility? I understand you kept your identities a secret but has there been anyone you've helped?"

"Huh? Why are you asking that?" Sting turned away from Lucy. "I mean there's a handful, but I don't see how they could be involved."

"In the worst possible situation, the detective will have you tried in the court of law, so I will need a list of anyone who can vouch for you two?"

"Well, there's Luka and Rilo from Veilstone. We got along. I spent some time with Shu from the casino when he asked where his son Sho was." Lucy counted the people on her fingers as she recalled the journey. "There was Lamia University students from when we got Taurus at the diner. Um...Oh! The Agria family from when-"

"Hey, we agreed not to bring up that night again!"

"Er..." Loke and Makarov briefly made eye contact before they realized it was for the best they do not probe deeper. "If that's all, I'll be on my way. I think Aquarius deserves to be updated on the situation."

"And, I will be on my way as well. There's much to do be done in so little time." Makarov waved goodbye to the teenagers as he signed off. Loke followed closely behind as he returned to the spirit world for the night.

The intensity of the conversation had finally died down once they left. Lucy and Sting shared a quiet moment as they tried to figure out where to go from here. In the span of roughly ninety minutes, their reality was brought back to the brink of ruin thanks to some meddling detectives.

"Wanna get some food? We passed a seafood buffet when we came into town." The Celestial Wizard offered.

"Sure, wanna see how long it takes for them to kicks me out?" Sting's lip curved upward as a thought formed in his mind. "I bet they can't satisfy my stomach."

"Meh, I say thirty minutes. An hour if the staff wants to be kind." Lucy joked as she grabbed her purse. "I know after today you probably have a bigger appetite than usual."

"Hey, I treat you to some deserts just choose the place," Sting remarked while holding the door open for his partner. "After all, you did beat a guild master today. That's worth something."

"If I didn't know better, I would think that's a hint of pride in your voice." She giggled. "Is the great Sting proud of me?"

"What can I say, you can teach a Fairy a thing or two." He smirked as they left the hotel and entered the streets of Hargeon.

* * *

**January 3rd x778**

**Blue Pegasus Guild's Backroom**

**3:55 PM**

"You want what from me?"

"Let's cut a deal. You help us capture Lucy and Sting, and we'll make sure you get her keys."

"Ideal, but why? Why me?"

"Because you hold the last key, logically, they'll eventually cross your path."

"So, I'm a pawn in your game of cat and mouse?"

"This is a necessary step to prevent them from succeeding. After all, don't you want your revenge?"

"Tempting, but I have nothing to lose. You got a deal Detective Saisuke."

"It's a pleasure to have you on the side of justice, Karen."

* * *

**A/N: The final pieces are moving into place. In the midst of an insomniac night, I finally managed to push through the last of the chapter. ****I won't say that I lost interest in this story because I haven't. I still have a lot left to write about. Believe it or not, I've been taking notes about what I want to change about the GMG because Hiro Mashima did a lot of people dirty in that arc. *Cough* Lucy *Cough* In doing so, I will be moving people around (new and old faces) and rewriting some plot points. I'm excited about what I have to show. Thank you to everyone who dropped a favorite and decided to follow!**

**Here's my headcanon about how old Karen is in x777: According to the Fairy Tail wiki, there's no definitive age for her since she was relevant for a short period of time. However, it does state that Hibiki of the Trimen was dating Karen during the time of her death. Hibiki was 20 years old in x784, so it makes him seventeen when Karen dies in x781. Logically, Karen must be around his age, but here's where it gets confusing. Her character in x781 looks much older than what is expected. I don't believe for one second that woman could pass as a teenager, under no circumstances. Karen is a grown woman in x781, probably in her twenties (25). So, my headcanon is that Karen is a pedophile for dating Hibiki and was twenty-one years old in x777.**


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